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Focus on benefits of AI at workplace, not job displacement, say industry experts

2024-03-08 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE - Those in the workforce should not worry about losing their jobs, but embrace how artificial intelligence (AI) will change the nature of jobs, said industry experts.

AI will even introduce new jobs, they said.

It will augment the skills we hold, and we should focus on its potential to help us, said Mr Ben King, Google’s country managing director for Singapore, responding to a question about the impact of AI on jobs and the workplace.

He added: “AI won’t necessarily replace us, because we’re not competing. You can imagine, humans are bringing creativity, they’re bringing empathy, they’re bringing critical thinking to work, and AI can really supplement their systems.”

Mr Tan Kok Yam, chief executive of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), referred to his employees as “choice architects”, and cited the example of how they came up with personalised course options for individuals based on data collected.

“The nature of work has changed. It will change, I think, for the majority of the work,” Mr Tan added.

Mr King and Mr Tan were among the panellists at The Straits Times Education Forum 2024 held on March 8 at the Singapore Management University (SMU), where they discussed the benefits of AI and its perceived threats in the workplace.

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The third panellist, Assistant Professor Jerrold Soh, deputy director of the Centre for Computational Law at SMU, also addressed the worries people have about job displacement, and said that it is important to talk about how the average person perceives the impact of AI.

The forum was moderated by Professor Lim Sun Sun, SMU’s vice-president of partnerships and engagement.

“The problem with AI in particular is that lay perceptions of what the technology will do often do not line up with what it actually does,” Prof Soh said, adding that the worries about AI taking over jobs may not always be true.

“As long as we see AI as an enterprise of making computers act and think like humans, there will always be a need for some human input,” he said, adding that he felt confident that AI is creating jobs.

SPH Brightcove Video

The Straits Times Education Forum 2024 looked to the future with an interview with Sophia the robot and a discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence and the need for its regulation.

But in order for individuals to fully enjoy the benefits of AI, there is a need for continued and lifelong learning as they navigate the job market, said Mr King, adding that Singaporeans are actually taking action to be part of this AI revolution.

He said that in Singapore, searches for jobs and education related to AI are at a 19-year high, and the term “AI courses” is also the top related search term.

At SSG, Mr Tan said he looks at “smart user soft skills”, and how to combine relational skills found in industries like law, customer service or even sales, and integrate them with AI to build stronger connections with people.