AI is here—but skills will shape the future of work

“In the age of AI, organisations must rethink their workforce strategies to stay competitive. Those that successfully integrate human talent with AI capabilities will be best positioned to address the talent shortage challenges.” – Fabio Tiviti, Group Vice-President, Asia-Pacific and Japan Field Operations, Workday

AI agents are no longer a futuristic concept—they are actively reshaping workplaces across Singapore, streamlining workflows, enhancing decision-making, and collaborating with human employees in ways once relegated to science fiction.

However, this rapid transformation presents a critical challenge for HR leaders: effectively integrating these powerful tools while preserving the essential human element. As organisations increasingly adopt AI agents, they must simultaneously rethink traditional talent strategies, navigate growing complexities, and bridge widening skills gaps.

In the first of a two-part series of interviews with HRM Asia, Fabio Tiviti, Group Vice-President, Asia-Pacific and Japan Field Operations, Workday, delves into this delicate balancing act—and explains why a skills-first strategy is no longer optional but essential for sustained success.

His insights arrive at a crucial juncture: Workday’s Global State of Skills report revealed that just 30% of leaders in Singapore are confident their workforce possesses the skills necessary for future competitiveness. While digital proficiency rightly dominates long-term priorities, the most pressing skill gaps lie in social skills—collaboration, adaptability, and emotional intelligence—where humans possess a distinct advantage over machines.

AI agents are becoming more prevalent in workplaces in Singapore. What are the key challenges and opportunities that organisations face as they integrate AI agents alongside human employees? And with AI transforming jobs and workflows, how can organisations ensure a balanced coexistence between AI agents and human employees?
Fabio Tiviti: Integrating AI agents unlocks significant opportunities for organisations in Singapore. These AI agents enhance human capabilities and transform how work gets done.

In particular, role-based agents can manage complex processes and assist employees across their roles, not just focus on single tasks. For example, Workday’s Recruiting Agent drives efficiencies for talent acquisition and acts as an intelligent coach for recruiters, using AI to surface qualified leads from databases instantly. By automating manual processes, employees free up time to focus on higher value-added tasks, enabling a step-function change in productivity across the organisation.

The rapid deployment of AI agents also presents challenges. We are entering a new era where organisations will leverage AI agents alongside human employees, creating what we call “agent sprawl”. As the number and complexity of AI agents grow, organisations need to navigate security and compliance risks, optimising their impact and managing costs.

Against this backdrop, organisations will need to govern their AI agents with a centralised approach while harnessing their potential to maximise ROI. In doing so, they will need to rethink traditional talent management approaches and move towards a skills-first mindset. This means understanding how the human element remains essential, even as AI transforms jobs and workflows.

Organisations integrating AI effectively can consider several key approaches: developing clear governance frameworks that define how AI and humans collaborate, investing in upskilling programmes that help employees work effectively alongside AI, and redesigning workflows to leverage the unique strengths of both human employees and AI systems.

READ MORE: Workday unveils AI workforce management system to govern digital labour

For organisations looking to manage their evolving workforce, tools like Workday’s Agent System of Record allow them to manage their entire workforce – human and digital – from a centralised command centre.

In the age of AI, organisations must rethink their workforce strategies to stay competitive. Those that successfully integrate human talent with AI capabilities will be best positioned to address the talent shortage challenges.

Workday’s Global State of Skills report highlights that only 30% of leaders in Singapore feel confident in their workforce’s long-term skills. What is the biggest skill gap you see today?
Tiviti: Our research reveals that digital skill sets are the most important skills for organisations in Singapore in the future. With the accelerated pace of innovation across industries, digital is no longer an optional skill. Organisations need employees who not only utilise digital tools but strategically leverage them.

While digital proficiency is critical, our research also reveals that social skills represent the most impactful expertise missing today due to skill shortages. As automation increasingly handles routine tasks, skills like effective communication, collaboration, emotional intelligence and adaptability grow increasingly valuable.

If AI is a democratiser, then your people are your differentiator. AI is putting an acute focus on digital skills and, at the same time, creating more capacity for humans to do what we do best – problem solve, innovate, learn, lead, create, and collaborate together. The human element has never been more essential in today’s workforce.