SINGAPORE - With the potential to impact over 300 million jobs, advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are profoundly reshaping the global employment landscape. The latest wave of AI has garnered substantial investment and triggered extensive discussions, particularly concerning Generative AI (Gen AI). 

As jobs in the financial and technological sectors adapt to and are redefined by traditional AI and Gen AI, Passerelles Numériques (PN) with main event sponsor Mapletree Investments (“Mapletree”) organised an exclusive roundtable in Singapore on April 17 with five esteemed guests to discuss how AI can be adopted in multiple industries and its impact on people. The discussion provided a platform to address the following:

• The current development of AI and strategies to equip the financial sector with AI skills.
• The role of stakeholders: Is there a standard model to foster skills adoption?
• Education: What are the considerations for integrating AI / Gen AI as a tool to learn faster and more efficiently?
• Disadvantaged communities: How can AI be used to help empower communities facing socio-economic barriers?

Among the discussions that took place, panellists also shared user case studies and best practices at the national and company levels. These examples aimed to provide ideas for attendees to explore the adoption of technological skills in their own industries and stimulate the development of innovative talent development strategies. Sponsored by Mapletree, Air France, and CFTE (Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship), this event brought together over 70 individuals from various industries.  

Panellist Mr Him Chuan Lim, Group Head of Strategy, Transformation, Analytics, & Research with DBS shared his 5C frame approach to drive change for people to be future ready: (1) Cause for change and its urgency to be clearly defined, articulated and socialised across the organisation, (2) Champions for change to be identified and mobilised as role models, driving early adoption with quick-wins to gain confidence, (3) Control Tower that serves to architect and drive the change, with scenario planning and options to pivot, (4) Communication with clarity, coherence and consistency, especially from the leaders and, (5) Celebrations not just of success but also the courage to try. “It sounds simple, but to be simple is complex. It needs to be a very thoughtful and deliberate approach to bring our people along,” Mr Lim shared.

Hosted by Ms Tram Anh Nguyen, co-founder of CFTE and board member of PN, this event brought together the following five experts and specialists in AI:

• Mr Lim Him Chuan, Group Head of Strategy, Transformation, Analytics & Research, DBS
• Ms Yingsha Sasha Shen, Operational Director, Amaris Consulting
• Mr Jason See, Chief Information Officer, Ministry of Education, Singapore
• Ms Yap Aye Wee, Managing Director, Group Head of Learning & Transformation, OCBC Bank

Said Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree: “Mapletree pledged a three-year support with PN in 2023 to financially uplift six students through establishing the Mapletree-PNV Scholarships. At Mapletree, we endeavour to make a positive impact in the communities where we operate. We are pleased to collaborate with PN again as the main event sponsor, knowing this roundtable will offer valuable insights to industry professionals and the wider community. We are grateful for the opportunity to support this important conversation centered around AI.”

Strongly committed to education as a means of empowerment and social mobility, Mapletree invests in communities where it has a business presence, such as Vietnam, through its corporate social responsibility efforts. As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, Mapletree established the Mapletree-PNV scholarships in 2023, committing over US$50,000 to cover the full cost of education - from the first year of study until graduation - for six PN students in Vietnam for three years.

Photo Credits: Mapletree Investments

Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree Investments, delivered the welcome address.

Participants learnt about the work of PN in uplifting individuals and communities through providing access to education from Ms Karyn Mikkelsen-Tillet, Global Director Partnerships, and Ms Phuong Do, Executive Director with PN.

(From left) Ms Tram Anh Nguyen, co-founder of Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE) moderated the roundtable discussion on the opportunities and challenges of AI in various industries with panellists Mr Jason SEE, Chief Information Officer with the Ministry of Education; Ms Aye Wee YAP, Managing Director, Group Head of Learning & Transformation with OCBC Bank; Mr Him Chuan LIM, Group Head of Strategy, Transformation, Analytics & Research, DBS; and Ms Yingsha Sasha SHEN, Operational Director for Amaris Consulting.

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