Key Takeaways
- Artificial intelligence could lead to vastly different future outcomes, from positive advancements to negative disruptions.
- Experts are divided on whether companies should prioritize protecting existing jobs or focus on adapting the workforce to AI.
- Concerns exist that AI might displace workers and worsen inequality, potentially affecting a large share of global jobs.
- Upskilling current employees and creating new roles are seen as vital strategies for navigating the AI shift.
- Ethical issues, especially AI bias originating from human-created data, are a growing concern.
- Despite challenges, there’s optimism about AI’s long-term potential to create opportunities, possibly even in traditional crafts.
- Addressing the societal impact of AI requires cooperation between governments, educational institutions, and businesses.
Artificial intelligence could reshape our world in profound ways, potentially leading to both “utopian” and “dystopian” futures, according to AI expert Pedro Uria-Recio.
As AI technology rapidly advances, workplace leaders face a tough balancing act between focusing on their people and driving profits. At the GITEX Asia 2025 conference, Uria-Recio, who serves as CIMB Group’s chief data and AI officer, told CNBC Make It that companies have a responsibility to safeguard jobs.
He warned that the AI boom could increase unemployment and “potentially exacerbate inequality,” noting that “unfortunately some people might be left behind” by this wave of change. A recent U.N. Trade and Development agency report echoed these concerns, suggesting AI might affect 40% of jobs worldwide and widen gaps between nations.
Uria-Recio stressed the need for companies not just to equip employees with AI-ready skills but also to actively create new job opportunities.
However, not everyone agrees on prioritizing job protection. Tomasz Kurczyk, chief information technology officer at Prudential Singapore, suggested to CNBC Make It that focusing solely on protecting jobs might be misguided.
“The question is: ‘What can we do to make sure that we adapt employment?’” Kurczyk explained, comparing attempts to protect jobs directly to trying “to prevent a tsunami wave.” He believes adaptation is the more realistic approach.
Uria-Recio likened the current AI revolution to past disruptions, like the rise of the internet. Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in late 2022, AI’s influence has grown dramatically, pushing companies to transform their operations to stay competitive.
The mindset needs to shift towards “AI-first,” Uria-Recio advised, but always “keeping humans in the loop.” While AI promises increased productivity, experts agree its potential downsides need careful management.
Many business leaders are embracing AI tools. According to the 2025 Microsoft Trend Index, 82% expect to use advanced AI or digital labor to boost their workforce capacity soon. The same report found 78% might hire for AI-specific roles, while 47% prioritize upskilling their current staff, though 33% are also considering job cuts.
Beyond jobs, AI ethics have become a major topic in boardrooms. Kurczyk highlighted the risk of AI amplifying existing biases, stating, “AI is able to take data and accelerate the bias at light speed.” Since data is created by humans, it inherently carries our biases.
“The bias is not a bug. It is a feature that we don’t want when it comes to AI,” Kurczyk noted, emphasizing the need to manage this challenge effectively.
Despite these concerns, experts remain generally optimistic. Kurczyk believes AI could eventually become widely accessible, opening “incredible opportunities for everyone across the globe.” He even suggested AI could spark a revival in artisanal work, creating new avenues for employment.
Kurczyk acknowledged that inequality might worsen temporarily during the biggest transition period. He argued that managing this shift effectively requires a joint effort from educational institutions, governments, and corporations to ensure existing inequalities aren’t simply amplified by the new technology.
