In an AI-centric future, skill sets must change

IT IS safe to say - and probably common knowledge - that artificial intelligence (AI) will increasingly influence various aspects of our lives and fundamentally change the way we work and live.

Many definitions of AI exist, but it generally refers to a machine's capability to imitate intelligent human behavior. To be considered AI, the system needs to demonstrate behaviours associated with human intelligence, such as problem-solving, reasoning, learning and self-correction. Though AI had its beginnings in the 1950s, it is only in recent years that AI research and application has taken off, fuelled by increased computing power, big data and breakthroughs in machine learning.

With AI widely seen as a key driver of business competition, job creation and economic prosperity, countries are racing to claim pole position in the AI race. The United States, China and many others, including Singapore, have AI on their list of national strategic priorities and are making huge investments in AI research and capabilities development to establish strong foundations for AI ecosystems.