The world of work is rapidly evolving, with certain job roles predicted to emerge in 2025 and beyond. As technology continues to advance, so do the skills needed in the workforce. This evolution of jobs is particularly visible in Southeast Asia’s HR sector, where leaders are constantly exploring and discussing the challenges and trends in the industry.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in this shift. For instance, Indonesia is making considerable strides in tech innovation by harnessing AI to foster economic growth and enhance digital capabilities. At a recent Indonesia Economic Summit in Jakarta, Luhut Pandjaitan, Senior Economic Advisor to President Prabowo Subianto, revealed plans for the development of a low-cost, open-source large language model (LLM). The yet-to-be-named model, seen as a local version of China’s DeepSeek chatbot, is anticipated to be fluent in both Indonesian and English, symbolizing Indonesia’s commitment to bridging language barriers in the tech space.

However, the region’s rapid advancement in AI also brings challenges. Asian labor markets, including Bangladesh, India, the Philippines, and Indonesia, are particularly vulnerable to AI-driven automation. Countries like Bangladesh, which have traditionally relied on cheap labor, now face significant challenges as the rise of AI threatens to cause massive unemployment.

Nonetheless, Indonesian officials believe that AI can drive the country’s digital economic growth. This sentiment is also echoed in the call for Indonesia’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to adopt AI for export growth. AI is thus seen as a double-edged sword: while it may lead to job displacement, it can also create new opportunities and drive economic growth.

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