There has been quite a number of articles going around about how half of the world’s jobs will be taken up by artificial intelligence in the coming decades. Yes, more labour intensive industries, such as the garment industries will be more heavily impacted, but this doesn’t mean that Singapore is safe from such disruptions. So for all you kiasu Singaporeans out there, here are some tips that you can use to stay employed and secure in the current uncertain economic climate.

Work on your soft skills : Creativity, Empathy, Common sense, Networking
If you hadn’t noticed, humans still have unique skills that AI don’t have (yet). Although there has been great progress made in the AI field, humans remain masters of skills such as creativity, empathy and common sense. Possessing a creative mind and imagination means that you have the ability to dream up new inventions and ideas that do not currently exist. Yes, robots are able to recognise and analyse existing data and matter, and at a certain level computers can produce art, music, food, or writing. But as a products of very strict rules and explicit instructions, the exact opposite of creativity, it is very difficult for AI to come up with new ideas and concepts (for now). Currently, AI may be able to recognise human emotions, but they are not able to understand it or feel it themselves, making empathy an important skill to develop.

Developing these important soft skills by interacting more with your friends and pushing yourself out of comfort zones may be a defining factor in helping you to keep your job.

Diversify income sources

It’s good having a job that gives you a steady source of income, but don’t put all your eggs in one basket. There are tons of ways you can make money on the sidelines!  More Singaporeans are starting to have more than a single source of income. Local apps like Carousell, Grab, Foodpanda and Honestbee allow you to make money on the side through different jobs while supporting local businesses.

Unemployment Insurance

Singaporeans never really needed unemployment insurance until now. However, our unemployment rate has crept up from 2.2% last December to 2.3% in March, the highest level since December 2009. Yes, none of us would want to think that we will be on the list of people getting retrenched, but often, it is better to be kiasu. Try Bandboo, a local insurance technology platform that offers unemployment insurance to the masses. Learn more about Bandboo here.

All of this can be intimidating to think about, especially if you currently work in a field that is predicted to be replaced by AI in the near future. By ensuring that we have taken the necessary precautionary measures and adapting to the needs of the future, we can all learn to navigate these rapidly shifting times.