Commentary: Workers shouldn’t have to figure out AI on their own

Workers must navigate AI integration on their own, says NTU's Trevor Yu. The Economic Strategy Review (ESR) recognizes AI as a national workforce challenge and emphasizes AI literacy alongside critical thinking, communication, and empathy. However, turning these national priorities into real changes for employees requires redesigning work, job by job.

Managers are grappling with difficult questions about which tasks should be delegated to AI and which should remain with their teams. They also struggle with evaluating performance when employees use AI tools and encouraging staff to experiment when they themselves are still learning the technology.

The challenge lies in redesigning work so that people and AI complement each other, rather than simply adding AI onto existing jobs. Organizations need to answer practical questions about which tasks AI should perform and which remain human-led, as well as how to measure performance when workers use AI tools.

Meaningful support must involve redesigning work, not just offering courses and workshops. Workers need opportunities to develop new skills and apply them, such as time to practice, permission to experiment, colleagues to learn alongside, and managers to coach rather than simply supervise.

HR leaders face new demands as job descriptions, competency frameworks, and performance management systems need continual review as technologies reshape work. Line managers may find themselves navigating these questions for the first time, requiring a leadership skill of creating conditions for teams to confront uncertainty and learn together.