J is for jobs
"The future of work won’t be a binary choice between humans and machines; rather both will coexist to get work done. AI will evolve from just supporting tasks to forming an integral part of the future workforce, helping to address skills shortages across various roles. The pressing talent shortage in the technology sector is very real and is compounded by the ageing populations in many countries, especially so in Asia. Increased mobility of talent, and extremely diverse populations coming into the workplace will help to relieve some of those pressures," said Tay Bee Kheng, President, ASEAN, Cisco.
Jobs in Singapore
David Blasco, Country Director at Randstad Singapore said: “Singapore's digital transformation journey is creating unprecedented opportunities and challenges across sectors. As employers grapple with talent scarcity, we're witnessing greater demand for professionals skilled in AI, data analytics and digital infrastructure, alongside a strong focus on revenue generation and business development capabilities."
Technology remains a crucial focus, Randstad said, with 23% of Singapore employers prioritising tech talent acquisition, followed by 13% planning to invest in digital transformation and AI professionals.
Blasco said: "The convergence of AI adoption, sustainable finance and digital transformation is fundamentally reshaping Singapore's business landscape. Success will hinge on organisations' ability to bridge the skills gap, particularly in high-demand areas like AI, sustainability and digital transformation where competition for talent is most intense. As we enter 2025, more companies will seek support from industry experts to secure top professionals while building inclusive, driven and flexible work cultures that attract and retain exceptional talent.”
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| Source: General Assembly. Meyer. |
Ryan Meyer, MD, Asia Pacific, General Assembly, said that the challenge for businesses in 2025 would be to realise that true digital transformation amidst the 4th industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) involves investing in the right talent over the right technology.
"While technological advancements in automation, AI, and machine learning can be exciting – these tools won’t work without the right people. As these tools pose various disruptions to current organisational processes, businesses will need to move beyond job descriptions, rethink their structures and be open to equipping a large mass of their people across various aspects of their business with in-demand skills to unlock new competitive edges and unleash various growth opportunities," he said.
Missions required
The workforce of tomorrow is mission-driven, said Amazon CTO Dr Werner Vogels. "At Amazon, I’ve observed a growing number of engineers actively seeking projects with prosocial impact. Whether it’s engineers developing energy-efficient algorithms for data centres, architects designing carbon-neutral buildings, or finance professionals specialising in sustainable investing, the boundaries between business and social good are blurring," he shared in a list of 2025 predictions.
"Compared to previous generations, who were more concerned about personal freedom and economic growth, Millennials and Gen Z typically show greater concern about issues like inequality, mental health, and climate change. As digital natives, they recognise that they can help solve these hard human problems with technology. This points to fundamental realignment of career aspirations and societal values.
"To remain competitive, businesses across all sectors must adapt their strategies to attract and retain purpose-driven employees. This means creating roles with positive social impact, integrating sustainability principles into existing positions, and authentically embedding environmental, social, and governance values into core business strategies."
Workplaces
"Returning to the office should be a magnet, not a mandate. As we envision the future of work, it will be a tech-enabled one where job roles continue to evolve alongside technological advancements, much like the transition from fax to email and are now connected from anywhere. Work will happen in tech-enabled spaces and people will naturally seek the flexibility that technology brings to their personal lives in their work routines. This shift will raise questions around the value that the physical office will add to work," said Tay.
"As employees shift their mindset from coming to the office to do heads-down work to using this as an opportunity to connect, innovate and collaborate with their teams, employers need to cultivate an environment that supports this type of work. Whether it’s about the type of work, the location it’s performed, or who it’s done by, trust is a crucial
element at every stage of the process. Employers must trust that they have hired the right people for the right roles, and they will deliver the goals set for them.
"Likewise, employees must trust that their efforts will be recognised and rewarded by their employers, with opportunities for growth and development. Trust will become a reciprocal relationship, and the ability to foster this trust will distinguish high-performing teams and companies from the rest."
Gen AI stands for generative AI, and LLM for large language model.
K is for knowledge in real time
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| Source: Confluent. Sharma. |
"Right now, 80% of APAC organisations are already using real-time data streaming to deliver richer, faster customer experiences and 94% view integrated data streaming platforms (DSPs) as critical to achieving their business goals. As such, the industry cannot afford to overlook the strategic value of real-time data streaming as the need for real-time, on-demand insights amps up.
"Businesses will gradually recognise data streaming’s transformative potential not simply as a tool for solving immediate problems, but being a powerful driver for growth and success in the fast-moving global digital economy."
"AI models increasingly rely on seamless data movement across workloads, ensuring that data interoperability drives more efficient workflows across teams, unlocking quality value and uncovering new business possibilities, all while meeting regulatory and compliance requirements," Sharma added.
"As businesses make progress, they will experience a flywheel effect. Once one team unlocks a data stream, others will see its value, contributing their own data and accelerating adoption across the organisation. This momentum can lead to breakthroughs in business agility, setting new benchmarks for innovation and resilience. The question is no longer if this transformation will happen, but how quickly companies can seize the opportunity."
Explore
More comments on AI and work are in a separate post at https://www.techtradeasia.com/2025/01/its-all-about-ai-for-work-in-2025.html.
Read the rest of the 2-Z of 2025 predictions at https://www.techtradeasia.com/2025/01/the-techtrade-asia-2024-roundup-2025.html
Hashtag: #2025Predictions
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