Q: There are numerous reports that make bold predictions on the number of jobs that will be lost to AI (artificial intelligence). Some of the figures bandied about are alarming. What is the picture like for Singapore?

A: Yes, in time, AI will replace some jobs and tasks. We have to remember that the technology does not need to be as capable as the human worker to have an impact on jobs.

By simply making a task less labour-intensive, fewer workers will be required. This is in the nature of technology disruptions, and it is something we cannot change or fight as an open economy.

But I don’t think that it will be a cliff effect. Adoption takes time.

I find studies such as the one done by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory quite insightful. The study, released in January 2024, analysed the majority of jobs that have been previously identified as “exposed” to AI, or at risk of being lost to AI, especially in the realm of computer vision.

The researchers then looked at the wages paid to workers currently doing these jobs, and calculated how much it might cost to bring on an automated tool instead.

They ended up finding that a vast majority of jobs previously identified as vulnerable to AI in this field are not economically beneficial for employers to automate at this time. For now, it would still make the most economic sense for an employer to continue to pay a worker to do it.

The other point to remember is that even as AI eliminates some jobs, it will, at the same time, create demand for certain jobs, and augment the nature of many other jobs. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2023 shared that of those they have surveyed, 49 per cent anticipated AI to be a catalyst for job creation, while 23 per cent also expected it to drive job displacement.

That it takes a while for industries to change is a good thing, as policymakers, employers and workers will have time to prepare and adapt for these coming changes.

Q: So what should workers do to prepare themselves?

A: Some of us will be able and keen to seize the new opportunities offered by AI, for example, in the space of data analytics and data management. This may be a good time to think about preparing and training oneself for the career transition to this new, exciting space.

For many of us, it is about how current jobs will change in nature. From the data that SSG (SkillsFuture Singapore) pulled from job postings, it is clear that the skill sets required for existing job roles are changing. What workers need are the skills to be a smart user of AI in their current occupation or profession. Domain knowledge, experience and expertise will remain important.

For example, marketing professionals had to be familiar with marketing on traditional platforms. Then, with the rise of social media, they had to learn how to market on these new platforms. Now, with the rise in the use of AI tools, they need to increasingly learn how AI tools and data can help optimise their marketing dollar to produce successful campaigns.

The skill sets and experience that they have gathered before, such as understanding their audience, creativity and strategic messaging, remain core. However, if the individual does not upskill, say, in social media marketing and the use of AI tools and apps, he will be less able to generate value for his employer, and also be at a disadvantage in the labour market.

Q: What are the skills that people should acquire to thrive in the age of AI? What are some of the skills that AI cannot replace?

A: Those aiming for jobs in developing AI tools, and those designing solutions using AI tools, will need to build the necessary technical skills.

But for the rest of us who are using AI as part of our current work, it is about having the skills and attitude to be a smart user. This means, for example, being creative in redesigning workflows, being collaborative in working across user groups and engineering groups, and being curious and adaptable in wanting to discover what tech can or cannot do.

Therefore, soft skills, such as creative thinking, collaboration and adaptability – these are the kind of skills that AI cannot replace, and they will become even more important in the age of AI.

Let’s take communication skills. Effective communication is the foundation of building professional relationships, both inside and outside the organisation. It is core to nurturing positive relationships and building strong teams. Collaboration and communication are cited as the two major skills gaps by employers.

Finally, to your specific question on skills that AI cannot replace, it is notoriously difficult to automate physical tasks in uncontrolled environments; for example, caring for a child or an elderly person.

It will be interesting to see how certain professions in the care economy that require a human touch develop. Perhaps, as a society, we may start to value these jobs and tasks more, as no machine can do them well.

Q: What new jobs are being created by AI? Or how will some job roles change with the use of AI?

A: Based on the analysis of LinkedIn Talent Insights data from October 2023, the top fastest-growing AI job roles in Singapore include full-stack engineer, AI engineer and data engineer. Some new work functions have emerged, such as prompt engineering, and training of generative AI chatbot responses.

We have noticed that skills related to the use of new AI apps and tools, such as classification and regression tree, or Cart, Watson Studio and ImageJ, have emerged.

Increasingly, we also found that AI apps and tools have increased in relative importance from 2012 to 2022 for finance, information and communications technology, and retail and wholesale trade professionals.

The recent Jobs-Skills Insights Report by the Institute for Human Resource Professionals and SSG revealed the need for human resources professionals to refresh their digital skill sets. Demand for the skill “AI application” saw an upward trend in HR job postings over the past five years, with a sharp increase from 2021 to 2022.

We have separately noted through job posting data that AI application is among the top 100 skills in demand, with more than 30,000 job postings between September 2022 and June 2023 requiring this skill.

Q: How are Singaporeans responding to it so far?

A: We are encouraged by some studies that included workers in Singapore.

A LinkedIn study on the Future of Work in August 2023, for example, found that workers in Singapore are the world’s fastest when it comes to adopting AI skills. The report, which drew data from 25 countries, found that Singapore has the highest “diffusion rate” – the share of members adding AI skills to their profiles grew 20 times from January 2016.

Another study – by KPMG and the University of Queensland – found that Singaporeans are among the highest users in the world of AI at work, with 68 per cent already doing so.

A further 44 per cent said they are aware that their organisation uses AI. Another 60 per cent of Singaporeans would be willing to trust it at work, and 67 per cent would be comfortable with AI having a greater role in their workplace. They cite improved efficiency and effectiveness, cost benefits, and the innovation it enables as key positive changes AI has made in the workplace.

But it is not just attitudes that matter. It is how that translates into learning and action. On the ground, we see that prevalent skills among professionals with AI skills include machine learning and Python. This means Singaporeans have been picking up and equipping themselves with these skill sets that are increasing in demand.

But there is clearly no resting on these findings. The key is to remember that jobs in many sectors will change, and they will be augmented by AI. We can ride the wave by learning the tools to make our work more productive and more meaningful.

We have to keep encouraging Singaporeans to adapt, continue learning and seize the opportunities.

The Government is doing its part. It recently announced that it will invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in developing AI compute infrastructure, talent and the industry. This is in support of the National AI Strategy 2.0, which was unveiled in December 2023 and is designed to support Singapore’s aim of becoming a global AI leader.

With Singapore investing significantly in supporting workers and businesses, our workers are well placed to leverage the opportunities that are coming in the age of AI.

About Dr Gog Soon Joo

Dr Gog Soon Joo is the chief skills officer at SkillsFuture Singapore, and has held a number of posts with the Government. She leads a team of jobs and skills analysts, data scientists and futurists to identify global trends that impact business, jobs and skills. Dr Gog and her team work with local and international partners to prototype solutions and generate insights in the areas of future of work, future of learning and future skills.

Her research interests include capitalism in the digital economy, new economy firms, skills ecosystems and skills policies. She chairs the Singapore national steering committee for the OECD Programme for International Assessment for Adult Competency (PIAAC), and is a member of the OECD PIAAC Strategic Planning Group. She also advises several research institutions.

• The story is produced in partnership with SkillsFuture Singapore.