Artificial intelligence (AI) is already coming for jobs. The impact of AI on jobs is a pressing concern. For many people, artificial intelligence has already become a part of their life, helping out with repetitive, menial tasks or quick research and generating everything from job application letters to contents and funny memes. It has also made a big positive contribution in several industries including media, construction, healthcare, finance and technology, making it possible for people in these fields to work faster, better, innovate quickly and improve their services and products. Yet, as the technology advances, its hidden costs are coming into limelight as well. For close to twenty years, Mr Estate Agent (not his real name) has been living on commission on property sale and letting. But now, Property Master, among other online marketing sites that are seamless to patronise, has taken over.
Most estate surveyors and valuers earn a sizable amount of money by giving pre-sale opinion of market value on properties for their clients, apart from property development, investment appraisal and agency practice. Now, there are signs that people are now buying properties after getting pre-sale opinion of value from artificial intelligence like My Property Value, Cotality, CNET, PriceHubble, UPSTIX, Zillow Zestimate, Zoopla, etc, and to feel the waters in property markets. Online search engines are also being utilized. In the beginning of AI, people thought it would help boost work globally. But it is becoming glaring that it is displacing people from work. How is it that a technology touted to enhance workers’ productivity is likely ending up displacing millions of workers instead? 3D construction printing (3DCP) technology is now being used in the construction of buildings. There is also a construction tile laying robot. Through laser navigation technology, visual recognition technology, and elevation positioning system, this tile laying robot can achieve automatic walking, precise movement, and autonomous paving and complete the integrated operation of tile adhesive laying, floor tile transportation, and floor tile laying construction.
But it is not only in the real estate sector that AI is threatening jobs. For instance, technology companies such as ByteDance and Meta, which own social media platforms TikTok and Facebook respectively, have both announced plans to lay off workers, either to replace their roles with generative AI or to redirect resources so that they can double down on AI-related investments. Media reports indicated that the layoffs at both companies reached their Singapore offices in February, 2025. More recently, Mr Piyush Gupta, as chief executive officer of Singapore’s DBS Group, a major player in the Singapore banking sector, stated that the bank is projected to shrink its workforce “by about 4,000 or 10 percent”, a move that will specifically affect contract and temporary workers, as AI is expected to increasingly take on roles carried out by humans. The bank told CNA TODAY that this will come from natural attrition as AI “could reduce the need to renew” the temporary and contract roles once they are completed. At the same time, Mr Gupta – who stepped down on Friday, March 28, 2025 – said that he expected 1,000 jobs to be created due to AI. His comments echo statements that have been reiterated by many tech leaders driving the AI revolution: That while AI will disrupt certain roles, it will also produce new ones and this could even lead to an overall net gain in jobs. Still, this may come as cold comfort to workers who will lose their jobs to AI. Furthermore, the new jobs created in the wake of the AI revolution are unlikely to benefit all workers equally due to disparities in skills. Indeed, it is a disruption with such significant ramifications for the global workforce that it was among the agenda during the G7 Summit in Italy in June, 2024, where leaders recognised “the need to make sure (AI) enables increased productivity, empowers workers and creates inclusiveness and equal opportunities”.
“Leaders have agreed to launch an action plan on using AI in the world of work, and to step up coordination towards a shared understanding of risk management and advance international standards for AI development and deployment,” according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) article. A WEF projection in its Future of Jobs report in January 2025 stated that 11 million jobs will be created due to AI and information processing technologies from 2025 to 2030. In the same period, though, nine million jobs are expected to be displaced. The report does not detail the jobs that will be displaced or created specifically with links to AI. However, it does indicate overall that job holders such as big data specialists, financial technology engineers, as well as AI and machine learning specialists are roles with the highest projected percentage growth during this period. At the same time, positions such as data entry workers, graphic designers and accountants count among the largest declining jobs.
By taking proactive steps, individuals can mitigate the potential job threats posed by AI and capitalise on the opportunities it presents. The following are what people can do:
Upskilling and reskilling
(1). Acquire new skills: Focus on developing skills that complement AI, such as creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
(2). Learn about AI: Understand the basics of AI and its applications to stay relevant in the job market. To adapt to the changing job market, people should be flexible and be open to new job opportunities and industries that may emerge due to AI. They can also consider entrepreneurship. Incursion of AI will definitely create new business opportunities and people can leverage these to create their own jobs. They should also develop soft skills and focus on skills like communication, empathy, and teamwork, which are harder to automate, and highlight human strengths and emphasize the unique value humans can bring to tasks, such as creativity, intuition, and emotional intelligence.
To prepare for the future, people should stay informed by keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in AI and its impact on the job market. They should also innovate how to keep their clients and work better than AI, and support education and training by advocating for education and training programmes that prepare people for the changing job market.
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