The “AI Plus” strategy emerging from China’s State Council, which promotes artificial intelligence teaching across all levels of education, comes amid reports that AI classes are now compulsory for primary and secondary schools in Hangzhou. These show a new urgency attaching to AI talent development.
Asia is becoming a leader in upskilling workers for an AI-driven world. In a region of ageing societies, there is perhaps no greater economic imperative than ensuring that all workforce demographics are AI literate. Policymakers across the Asia-Pacific understand that their success in preparing workforces for the AI era will be a key determining factor for future competitiveness and growth, and they are acting accordingly.
Our 2025 research shows that 88 per cent of employees use AI at work, a marked increase from just 22 per cent in 2023. As AI becomes cheaper to develop and access, its use cases are likely to multiply and many business models could be transformed. AI could even remodel government itself. In his September policy address, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced a new team to steer AI across departments. Companies in the region need to follow the lead of governments and accelerate investment in AI skills development.
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At the end of February, Hong Kong announced its 2025-2026 budget and new ambitions to become an international exchange and cooperation hub for the AI industry. The city already has a special office dedicated to attracting strategic enterprises, including technology and innovation companies, to set up global or regional headquarters.
But AI is set to transform global value chains far beyond the technology sector, having effects in healthcare, finance, transport, education and retail, among many other industries, as well as product design and manufacturing. Hong Kong has also announced a pilot manufacturing and production line upgrade support scheme.
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Just as important is attracting, nurturing and retaining the best talent. Singapore is focusing on lifelong learning through its SkillsFuture programme. This provides grants to companies investing in workforce development and subsidies to individuals who take training courses throughout their careers. It is enhancing training support for workers aged over 30 and providing incentives to employers hiring and retaining people in their 50s and 60s.
A person looks at a website selling a Singapore-made teddy bear equipped with artificial intelligence in Singapore on November 27. Photo: AFP
