Digital Futures of Work
Global research conference
Reimagining jobs, skills and education for the digital age.
Decode the future of work with us.
Our Research
The Digital Futures of Work Research Programme is the most extensive study on AI and the future of work today, based on adoption patterns. It examined patterns of activity across 10+ digital hubs around the world including Silicon Valley, Singapore, London, Seoul, Helsinki, Berlin and more.
Between 2021-2023, 500+ qualitative interviews were conducted with corporate heads, education and training heads, policy makers, technologists and professionals in these digital hubs. Trends analysis using 8 major national and global datasets were also conducted.
The findings point to a challenging future of work ahead of AI technologies being used to automate, standardise and redistribute complex work – the very category of jobs that have been powering social mobility across societies. Decisive steps need to be taken by societal actors at all levels to recalibrate the trajectory of the fourth industrial revolution towards human-centricity, productivity and shared prosperity.
Key topics
Making sense of the 'fourth industrial revolution': choices to be made
Have we properly understood the ‘fourth industrial revolution’? Optimistic assumptions of creating better job opportunities for everyone is not materialising as expected.
Reimagining AI, corporate innovation and productivity
Are organisations – large and small – making wise choices on how best to use AI technologies to set their organisations on a pathway towards higher productivity and agility in complex ecosystems?
What futures for education, skills and lifelong learning?
Are we preparing learners for the right industrial revolution? How do we best harness AI technologies for education, learning and lifelong empowerment?
Recalibrating the trajectory of the fourth industrial revolution: policy choices
No longer can we assume that education, technology and work will create better jobs for all. What policy options are possible for a fairer future of work?
Main Conference (Hybrid),
1 November 2023, 0900H – 1700H (GMT +8)
The Main Conference presents the topline findings from the research programme of a challenging future of work ahead. It calls for collective action to recalibrate the trajectory of the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ to channel its potential towards novel paradigms of productivity, human-centric advancement of technologies, and inclusive prosperity.
Reimagining Workshops,
2 – 3 November 2023
The Reimagining Workshops engage participants in a deep dive into research insights anchored around the themes of productivity, human centricity, education and lifelong learning, social inclusion and shared prosperity.
Main Conference
Wednesday, 1 November 2023 (GMT +8)
Hybrid conference, streaming live from VOCO Orchard Hotel, Singapore
09:00
Welcome and introductions
Welcome
Professor Tan Tai Yong
President, Singapore University of Social Sciences
Remarks
Professor Wendy Larner
President and Vice-Chancellor, Cardiff University
Opening address
Tan Kok Yam
09:20
Making sense of the ‘fourth industrial revolution’:
Making sense of the ‘fourth industrial revolution’: choices to be made
Professor Phillip Brown, Distinguished Research Professor, Cardiff University, & Director of the Digital Futures of Work Research Programme
Have we properly understood the ‘fourth industrial revolution’? Bringing in data from digital hubs in Silicon Valley, Singapore, London, South Korea and more, Professor Brown lays the evidence that optimistic assumptions of creating better job opportunities for everyone is not materialising as expected. In the unbundling of work that is taking place at scale, AI technologies are being used more purposively on knowledge work, rather than to shed low and mid-skilled forms of work. Occurring at a time when the world has the most well-qualified workforce in human history, it creates a conundrum for all – be it corporations making decisions on their human-technology strategies, heads of education and training preparing learners for a world in which complex jobs may be scarce, and policymakers responding to a highly-educated middle class. The trajectory of AI’s impact on knowledge work is not predetermined. The choices we make today as a society on how to harness and deploy AI technologies will shape our economic and social structures for decades to come.
Professor Phillip Brown
Panel discussion and Q&A;
Himanshu Tambe
Gavin Chua
10:45
Refreshments
11:10
Reimagining AI, corporate innovation and productivity
Making sense of the ‘fourth industrial revolution’: choices to be made
Professor Phillip Brown, Distinguished Research Professor, Cardiff University, & Director of the Digital Futures of Work Research Programme
Have we properly understood the ‘fourth industrial revolution’? Bringing in data from digital hubs in Silicon Valley, Singapore, London, South Korea and more, Professor Brown lays the evidence that optimistic assumptions of creating better job opportunities for everyone is not materialising as expected. In the unbundling of work that is taking place at scale, AI technologies are being used more purposively on knowledge work, rather than to shed low and mid-skilled forms of work. Occurring at a time when the world has the most well-qualified workforce in human history, it creates a conundrum for all – be it corporations making decisions on their human-technology strategies, heads of education and training preparing learners for a world in which complex jobs may be scarce, and policymakers responding to a highly-educated middle class. The trajectory of AI’s impact on knowledge work is not predetermined. The choices we make today as a society on how to harness and deploy AI technologies will shape our economic and social structures for decades to come.
Professor Phillip Brown
Panel discussion and Q&A;
Himanshu Tambe