How Mastercard is adapting to the future of work with AI and empathy

We don’t do business merely for the sake of it—we begin with a deeper question: What problem are we solving, and what value are we truly creating? In a world where automation is rapidly transforming the nature of work, many companies now seek individuals who can demonstrate creative, impactful uses of AI. But creativity doesn’t emerge from mindless upskilling. It flourishes when people are given the freedom to explore, to build with intuition—especially when the path ahead is uncertain. What if, instead of pressuring people to perform, we offered them a playground to imagine what could be done? You’d find not just productivity, but a culture of joy. A space where experimentation is encouraged, learning is alive, and impact is born from curiosity. Yes, we can and should outline a clear direction. But let that direction be an invitation—to initiate impact, not impose it.

If AI is already doing 30-50% of human work… what does that mean for you and your team? When Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said AI is now handling almost half the company’s work, it’s pretty sobering. Half. That’s not a prediction - it’s already happening. Entire workflows that once depended on human effort are now automated. And we are now encouraged to urgently focus on “higher value work.” But what exactly is higher value work? And here’s where most of us are thinking about it wrong. It’s not about what’s left after AI takes over. It’s entirely about what makes us human: creativity, empathy, judgment, the ability to mentor, and the courage to lead with heart. At Singtel, we’re already acting on this. Almost all of our workforce have completed foundational training to be AI-fluent so we can be an AI-first company. And our people managers have been equipped with coaching skills. You can find out more in the video interview below with Aileen Tan and Lionel Ch'ng. ⸻ The paradox we face As someone with 40 years in brand marketing and communications, I see a paradox unfolding. Seasoned professionals are suddenly more valuable - not because we know everything, but because we’ve seen enough to make nuanced decisions and guide others. That’s why I joined the National University of Singapore’s Distinguished Senior Fellowship Program - to explore how people like us can apply our experience for the good of business and society. But younger professionals? They’re entering a workforce where many entry-level roles - the traditional training ground for future leaders - are disappearing fast. Without real mentorship, many will grow up learning from algorithms instead of people. And that’s how we end up with “AI slop” - efficient output that lacks imagination, depth, and soul. ⸻ If you’re leading a company in Singapore… You already know what’s at stake. Like every major shift before - from industrialization to digital - the winners will be those who reimagine work, not just automate it. Here’s how Singapore can lead: ✅ Make AI fluency universal. Not just for the tech team - for everyone. ✅ Redesign jobs around human creativity. Let AI handle the repetitive. Let humans handle the remarkable. ✅ Institutionalize intergenerational mentorship. Pair seasoned professionals with younger ones. ✅ Lead with ethics and empathy. Align AI adoption with your company’s values. ✅ Leverage national initiatives. Singapore’s National AI Strategy and workforce grants are ready to support this shift. ⸻ A people-first AI future What we do next will define the kind of workforce - and society - we build. If we empower people with new skills, preserve mentorship, and keep creativity and empathy at the heart of work, we’ll create something extraordinary. A future where humans and AI don’t compete - they collaborate. And that, to me, is what “higher value work” truly means. NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (SCALE) #AIFirst #SingtelChamps #HUMANinAI

AI Platforms Transforming Workforce Development by 2025 — Discover how AI platforms are revolutionizing workforce development, enhancing skills training and job placement by 2025. https://lnkd.in/d3RvVnTQ #AiAnalytics #FutureOfWork #JobPlacement #SkillsTraining #TechnologyTrends #WorkforceDevelopment

In the rapidly evolving technological landscape, AI trends are transforming the way we work and live. As professionals, we must stay adaptable and embrace change to grow our careers. Technology life lessons remind us of the importance of continuous learning and skill development in an ever-changing environment. Business insights highlight the power of data-driven decision-making and the need for transparency in an increasingly digital world. #Inspiration #CareerGrowth #LifeLessons #ProfessionalDevelopment

The world 🌎 of work is rapidly changing and this was a key topic at a #AINetworkingSummit panel: AI and the Future of Work: Navigating Careers from Intern to the Boardroom When Entry-Level Roles Disappear. The message is clear, the path to success is no longer a traditional ladder. 🪜 As automation handles routine tasks, our focus must be on continuous learning. A successful, AI-driven organization requires a human-centered approach, where creativity and adaptability are essential. This is where DevAI makes a difference. We believe that true AI success requires a trusted foundation. Our work centers on helping IT organizations establish truth across their data and systems. Reliable AI is not about magic; it’s about providing verified, sound information to autonomous systems. ✨ Instead of adopting temporary fixes, prepare your teams and your infrastructure for the long term. If you want to build a truly dependable AI environment, your starting point must be your data. 💻 Catch the full panel: https://lnkd.in/ephC2Udu #AI #FutureOfWork #Careers #ITAutomation #DevAI #AIforIT

This week's classes at #LBS have taken a slightly surreal turn: #WhatILearned this week was how to tame the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (bear with me here...): HR, Finance, Compliance and IT. Not destroyers of worlds, just departments who need to understand that their roles in AI transformation are A) central and B) different from before. The trick is to get them to ride with you, not against you. Do this wrong and you'll slow everything down. Approach it correctly and you'll make it easier to scale safely, sustainably and for real. HR worries about robots taking jobs or the influx of hitherto unknown job titles being recruited for. So show them how AI can elevate work, not eliminate it. They need to become champions of reskilling, because organisations doing this are outstripping the competition. Finance wants proof before you can provide it. Help them think in “return on learning”, not just ROI, and help them back smart experiments. Compliance is paid to see risk everywhere. Bring them in early to build the guardrails that let innovation run faster. IT protects the infrastructure. Give them a starring role in modernising the stack and they’ll power the whole operation. If, like me, you're working on a couple of AI transformation projects right now then the simple discipline of remembering to talk, and explain yourself, to these core functions is invaluable - and often overlooked. #ArtificialIntelligence #AIForBusiness #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #MachineLearning #DataStrategy #FutureOfWork #BusinessTransformation

Kevin Wheeler didn’t mince words at #ATC2025 Impact: “Everything is going to break. Work’s going to break. The way we think about things is going to break.” And he’s right. This next decade will test our comfort zones like never before. AI is changing tools AND it’s reshaping us. So what becomes the most valuable skill in the decade ahead? 🚫 Not coding. 🚫 Not strategy. ⭐ Learning agility. ⭐ Because when nothing stays still, the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn is what keeps us relevant.   If you’d like to read the full story, check out the HR Daily Premium article - link in comments 👇 #FutureOfWork #TalentAcquisition #LearningAgility #WorkforceRewired

The next competitive edge is humans and AI working side-by-side. - Faster, better decisions as AI surfaces patterns at scale and in real time, while people apply context, ethics, and judgment. - More creativity: copilots generate options and first drafts; teams curate, test, and refine ideas into market-ready products and campaigns. - Higher-value work as routine tasks are automated and roles shift toward analysis, relationships, and innovation, reducing burnout and improving retention. - Lower risk through transparent, human-in-the-loop checks, policy-aligned guardrails, audit trails, and accountable approvals. - Scalable productivity with measurable ROI across sales, service, finance, supply chain, and product - without scaling headcount. What to do now: within 90 days, choose one high-impact workflow and run a human-in-the-loop pilot co-designed with frontline teams, with clear guardrails, basic governance, success metrics, and visible change champions. In parallel, invest in targeted upskilling - data literacy, prompt practices, and process redesign - with role-based learning paths, and update job profiles and incentives to reward effective human-AI teamwork. #LondonGulfNexus #FutureOfWork #HumanInTheLoop #AugmentedIntelligence #AIforBusiness

Government launches AI workforce retraining fund The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has announced a £300 million fund to retrain workers affected by automation, targeting manufacturing, transport and back-office sectors. The scheme aims to equip 120,000 people with AI-related and digital transition skills over three years. The next industrial revolution is here, but whether it uplifts or replaces workers depends on how seriously government and business invest in people, not just technology. #AI #FutureOfWork #Skills #Innovation #Industry #UKGrowth Department for Science, Innovation and Technology CIPD Make UK techUK UK Research and Innovation The Investors Guild