Is AI actually taking on my job?
Just a few years in the past, I by no means thought robots would come for the artistic trade. However right here I’m, a author who constructed my profession by way of phrases, now staring down the truth that synthetic intelligence (AI) can churn out articles in seconds — and totally free.
Inside a number of months of ChatGPT’s launch, generative AI grew to become much more superior, now able to churning out photos, movies and even music. My greatest buddy, who drew the long-lasting Price range Babe graphic that you simply guys have seen on this weblog for the final decade, spent shut to twenty years honing her inventive illustration expertise. However at this time, Midjourney, DALL-E and Leonardo AI are actually in a position to create and replicate graphics in nearly any artist’s type. A few of you may need even tried it out not too long ago, if you generated your individual Studio Ghibli-styled photos on ChatGPT currently.
Supply: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8b2wnUi1UU
The know-how has superior past simply nonetheless textual content or photos. Instruments like HeyGen and Synthesia now permits you to create movies with out even filming them your self, and have your avatar converse in over 100+ overseas languages to succeed in a wider viewers.
However worrying about AI taking on our jobs won’t assist us to cease the waves of change.
As an alternative, we will discover ways to surf and experience these waves to welcome the long run.
Right here’s what I’m doing to maintain myself related, and what you are able to do, too.
Embracing AI could make us higher at our work
Many staff who’re unable to replace their expertise as wanted find yourself going through wage stagnation, whereas employers concurrently complain that not sufficient staff possess the mandatory expertise.
So in at this time’s context, meaning:
- embracing AI,
- studying how one can work with AI instruments, and
- consistently upgrading our expertise to stay related.
That’s the reason amidst my busy schedule, I’ve taken time to study – and apply – utilizing AI instruments to jot down and generate my content material quicker. Due to ChatGPT, I not undergo from “writers’ block”. Canva AI has helped me to create visible graphics that I in any other case couldn’t conjure up on my own.
Determining how one can use these new instruments felt difficult at first, nevertheless it has gotten simpler over time. Fortunately, Singapore’s Price range 2025 has launched a number of initiatives to assist our studying.
Lifelong Studying is extra important than ever earlier than
The Authorities’s current Budgets rolled out vital enhancements to the SkillsFuture initiative. Specifically, the SkillsFuture Stage-Up Programme (SFLP) for Singaporeans aged 40 years and above gives:
- A SkillsFuture Credit score (Mid-Profession) High-Up, which gives a further $4,000 credit score to offset course charges for over 7,000 chosen programs geared toward bettering employability.
- SkillsFuture Mid-Profession Coaching Allowance for Full-Time Programs: Eligible people can now apply for a month-to-month allowance of as much as $3,000 when endeavor chosen full-time programs.
- SkillsFuture Mid-Profession Coaching Allowance for Half-Time Programs: As introduced at Price range 2025, beginning early 2026, eligible people endeavor chosen part-time programs can obtain a set allowance of $300 per thirty days to assist defray studying bills.
- Eligible people can obtain a most of 24 months of coaching allowance beneath the SkillsFuture Mid-Profession Coaching Allowance, whether or not they pursue full-time or part-time coaching.
For example, maybe you’re employed in finance and also you’re making an attempt to study AI to use to your work. Utilizing your SkillsFuture Credit score for a course just like the one beneath may considerably cut back your value of examine:
Or maybe you’re making an attempt to pivot to the healthcare trade (which my sister did), so as to serve and assist care for the rising ageing inhabitants in Singapore – a significant side of care that requires a human contact and understanding past the capabilities of AI.
There are numerous programs obtainable so that you can use your SkillsFuture Credit score on, so it’s possible you’ll browse the web site to seek out what fits you greatest.
Word: In case you had been between the ages of 25 and 39 years outdated in 2020, you’d have acquired $1,000 SkillsFuture Credit score in whole, of which $500 will expire on 31 December 2025. I used mine in 2023 to review for a licence associated to my trade which I’ve at all times needed, and the SkillsFuture Credit score got here in useful because it lowered the fee for me.
Whenever you flip 40, you’ll qualify for a further $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit score (Mid-Profession) top-up to additional assist your upskilling wants.
So long as you place your self strategically to select up the brand new in-demand expertise that employers search, value doesn’t must be a limiting issue.
There’ll at all times be methods to faucet on such authorities schemes to assist us subsidise or finance our studying charges.
Workforce Transformation is important, too
To stay aggressive, employers may also must adapt and rework their workforce, and undertake AI applied sciences to make their enterprise extra environment friendly.
To assist corporations modify, a number of initiatives had been introduced:
- A brand new SkillsFuture Workforce Growth Grant, which streamlines present workforce transformation schemes and gives increased funding assist of as much as 70% for job redesign actions.
- A redesigned SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit score: to assist employers defray the out-of-pocket prices for workforce transformation upfront as an alternative of getting to spend first and look forward to reimbursement. All firms with not less than 3 resident workers will get a contemporary $10,000 on this redesigned credit score from the second half of 2026.
- $200 million for NTUC’s Firm Coaching Committee grant: the grant may also be expanded to assist employer-led coaching that results in formal {qualifications} or certifications.
In embracing AI, one of many initiatives my employer carried out was to introduce automated AI note-taking to scale back the necessity for us to jot down post-meeting minutes. Concurrently, it enabled those that missed the precise conferences to catch up in a jiffy!
For example, in case you’re in a enterprise dealing with items, maybe you’ll wish to implement automation know-how in order that much less time is spent manually monitoring stock to deal with serving clients higher.
Take Actionable Steps to Future-Proof Our Profession
I really imagine that after we stand within the face of challenges, our outlook could make a marked distinction to our psychological well being and decide how we adapt.
We will both fret over how AI is “stealing our jobs”, or deal with turning into the employee who is aware of how one can use AI instruments for higher output than what our colleagues and friends can do.
Listed here are some actionable steps you possibly can think about taking:
- Assess your present expertise gaps: Determine areas the place AI may affect your position and trade, learn up on the newest instruments and watch tutorial movies of how one can use them.
- Discover related programs: With SkillsFuture Credit score given to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above, you possibly can enrol in programs that align with rising trade developments and calls for. Think about making use of for the month-to-month coaching allowances to defray your bills additional.
- Combine AI to finish your present duties: One of the simplest ways to grasp a talent is thru apply. Strive leveraging free AI instruments for a begin. It could take you a bit of longer at first, however with sufficient apply, you’ll ultimately discover that AI can prevent time and enhance the depth of your experience.
As an alternative of making an attempt to stay to our previously-established methods of labor and lamenting how “the great outdated days are gone”, I want to channel my consideration to in search of out alternatives within the new paradigm of labor.
What’s extra, even DBS has introduced that it expects to create 1,000 new AI-related jobs. This shift might be a chance for the employee who’s prepared to select up new AI instruments and apply for these new roles. The wage calls for for these roles are more likely to be increased as effectively.
Conclusion: Adapt and Thrive
Whereas AI presents challenges, it additionally affords alternatives for development and progressive pondering. AI instruments have already helped to hurry up a few of our work processes. Those that discover ways to leverage these instruments will develop into extra aggressive sooner or later, so you actually don’t need to be falling behind with the instances.
We can not cease the waves of technological adjustments from disrupting our industries, however we will select to proactively upskill ourselves in order that we’re geared up to make use of these new instruments – to provide even higher work than earlier than.
The selection is as much as us.
Disclosure: This text is delivered to you in partnership with the Ministry of Finance.
