DBS rolls out career advisory service to help employees navigate AI-driven change
‘Bigger prize’ in capturing AI’s value lies in redesigning jobs so workers can do higher-value work, says Tan See Leng
DBS has introduced a new in-house career advisory service to assist employees in navigating the changes brought about by artificial intelligence in the workplace. "The financial sector is at the center of these shifts, and we must adapt for Singapore to remain a leading financial center," Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng stated during the DBS Live Fulfilled Festival 2026.
While AI is being used to automate routine tasks, "automation alone only captures a fraction of the value," Dr Tan explained. "The bigger prize lies in redesigning the job itself – rethinking roles and upskilling and retraining our workers to take on higher-value work requiring creative problem-solving, interpersonal stakeholder management, and complex judgment."
To support employees through these changes, DBS has trained an initial group of over 100 career advisers from its human resources department. These advisers will provide guidance in addition to their regular responsibilities. The new service complements DBS' existing self-service AI-career development tools, iCoach and iGrow.
DBS launched iCoach in 2025, a generative AI-powered coaching platform that delivers personalized coaching and career guidance. In 2022, the bank introduced iGrow, which employs AI and machine learning to offer employees career recommendations. The new career advisory service will initially be available to DBS employees in its six core markets.
Dr Tan emphasized the importance of AI capability becoming "baseline literacy for every worker" and likened it to digital literacy from a previous generation. To foster this, DBS has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF) to collaborate on three key areas: developing industry-relevant programs, building workforce interventions, and strengthening Singapore's pipeline of young talent for the financial sector.
Under the MOU, DBS and IBF will co-develop programs to equip employees with future-ready capabilities, including foundational AI skills. Both organizations will also trial workforce interventions such as Career Conversion Programmes and industry-aligned pathways to help employees adapt to roles reshaped by AI. Additionally, they will focus on nurturing the next generation of talent in the financial sector through initiatives like IBF's Young Talent Programme for AI in Finance and by hiring over 500 local young talent in 2026 for management associate, internship, and traineeship programs.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Companies & Markets's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
