How South-east Asia can navigate the age of AI and its impact on the economy and employment.

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.

Artificial Intelligence is impacting the world at a pace far greater than that of previous general-purpose technologies, such as the steam engine, electricity, and computing.

As the world adjusts to the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, marked by tremendous advances in automation and robotics, it now faces the Fifth Industrial Revolution, the era of AI and its impressive ability to perform cognitive tasks normally performed by humans.

In this episode, host Ravi Velloor speaks with the eminent economist Dr Khor Hoe Ee, who witnessed the Latin American debt crisis and the Asian financial crisis.

Dr Khor, formerly Chief Economist at AMRO, has also seen how events like Covid-19 have had a major impact on the economy.

They discuss how the US and China dominate the AI space, the speed of disruption, which South-east Asian economies are most exposed and what firms in the region can do to cope with the impact of this new technology.

They also cover other topics, for instance: What happens to employment as we know it? Is there a threat of widespread deflation? Should we consider a universal basic income?

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:19 The Fifth Industrial Revolution of AI is like no other period in history

7:56 South-east Asia’s options when US, China lead in AI

11:34 Jobs at risk; from radiology to business process outsourcing

12:00 Prospects for Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines

16:52 Is there a case for Universal Basic Incomes with future disruption in the market?

18:41 Who’ll win the AI race and how the region should position itself

Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz

Host: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

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The way the Iran war began has reinforced the growing feeling that the rules-based international order, which Singapore stands by and bases its foreign policy on, is under serious strain.

But could Singapore’s measured and consistent response actually be an asset in these volatile times?

In this podcast episode, Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib, founding director of Dialogue Centre, a non-profit consultancy focused on cultural and racial diversity and inclusion, and Straits Times deputy opinion editor Bhavan Jaipragas, discuss what’s at stake for Singapore’s foreign policy.

On the home front, there are concerns about how binary thinking can alienate or fracture communities here, when people choose to villainise those who disagree with them.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:30 What does the Iran war mean for S’pore?

4:15 S’pore’s consistent position is our strength: Imran

8:58 What’s stopping bigger powers from taking liberties with S’pore?

11:30 No appetite for this war in Iran

16:17 Don’t see others with different povs as “villains”

19:05 The Novita Lam controversy: “She didn’t read the room.”

24:18 It’s dangerous when people feel helpless: Imran

27:39 Get off social media, talk face-to-face

32:30 Why Parliament debates aren’t for elites consumption

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producers: Elizabeth Law & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

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YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

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Why older workers with deep domain expertise have a unique advantage in the AI era, how companies can fix the "broken rung" for fresh graduates.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Ten years ago, the message to the workforce was: "Learn to code." Today, the mandate has shifted to learning AI and prompting chatbots. But as the goalposts move again toward autonomous AI agents that can take over complex workflows, is the Singaporean workforce ready?

In this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong explores the realities of the AI transition with her guests: Laurence Liew, director of AI innovation at AI Singapore, and Koh Chee Kiong, deputy CEO of WizVision. The 66-year-old recently took up a course in Gen AI and uses AI agents at work.

The discussion delved into why older workers with deep domain experience actually have a unique advantage, how to fix the broken rung for fresh graduates entering an AI-assisted corporate world, and why adopting AI is much less daunting—and much more conversational—than you might think.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:04 Why workers have a bigger advantage over fresh graduates with Gen AIs

8:05 Gen AI understands broken English

9:53 How young professionals can build industry judgment if AI automates entry-level work

17:39 AI has been implemented since decades ago, and will continue to be deeply integrated in work flows by 2035

21:12 Debunking the plumber myth: Why blue-collar jobs aren't AI-proof

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

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Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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