Redesigning Work: Why Southeast Asia Can Lead an Inclusive AI Future

In his commentary on the future of work, Vijay Eswaran explains why Southeast Asia is well positioned to lead inclusive, technology-driven workforce transformation, arguing that AI and automation should be used to redesign tasks rather than replace people. Drawing on insights from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, he highlights augmentation-first roles, practical and role-based upskilling, and skills-based job design as critical to unlocking productivity while widening participation, while cautioning against performative training and one-size-fits-all learning that fail to change how work is actually done.