Who Works? The Crisis of Automation in the Indo-Pacific

The world is undergoing the largest workforce transition since the industrial revolution, and the Indo-Pacific is at the epicentre of this shift. Post pandemic, public and private sector enterprises of all sizes are capitalising on improvements in productivity, efficiency, and profitability by accelerating the rate at which they are applying technology to automate and augment work with more machines doing the work once done by people. AI will be a major growth driver in the coming decade and will affect one in every five jobs in Asia — and eliminate one in eight.

In this panel discussion, speakers will discuss where the effects of automation pose the greatest challenges for the region and how we can ensure career pathways for those displaced to mitigate the risk of civil unrest and ensure that critical skills gaps do not open up and restrict growth in the long term.

Speakers will consider research data and policy recommendations that urgently align technology and talent agendas to build career pathways for those economies feeling the impact in the Indo-Pacific.