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APAC Edition
3rd June 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
AI will take half of entry level jobs, Anthropic CEO says
Dario Amodei, the chief executive of artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Anthropic, says the technology could eliminate up to 50% of all entry level white-collar jobs within the next five years. He said the producers of such technology "have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what’s coming," adding: "I don’t think this is on people’s radar." Heather Dishy, a partner at venture capital firm SignalFire, has suggested that AI is "doing what interns and new grads used to do," adding: "Now, one experienced worker equipped with AI tools can do the work of multiple junior staff, without the overhead."
HIRING
Indonesia bans age limits in hiring
Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower has issued a circular mandating the removal of age restrictions in recruitment, aiming to combat discriminatory labour practices. Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer commented: "These restrictions have long contributed to legitimising unemployment and poverty." While labour unions have welcomed the initiative as a move towards fairer hiring, employer groups express concerns about the potential influx of applicants. The circular is part of broader labour policy changes under President Prabowo Subianto, which also include banning the withholding of workers' original diplomas and personal documents. The reforms follow the controversial 2023 revision of Indonesia's job creation law, which faced opposition from labour groups for its pro-business stance.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
More female directors in Singapore
According to the Council for Board Diversity's report released on May 30, women's representation on boards of Singapore's top 100 companies has risen to 25.1% in 2024, surpassing the council's target a year early. This marks a significant increase from just 7.5% in 2013. The report highlights that women accounted for 34% of new directorships in 2024, up from 5% a decade ago. Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said:  “The increasing participation of women on corporate boards . . . reflects Singapore's commitment to diversify talent and leadership.” Despite this progress, 31% of listed companies still have all-male boards, indicating that further efforts are needed to enhance gender diversity in leadership roles. The council aims to focus on broader diversity beyond gender in the coming years.
TECHNOLOGY
Robots revolutionise freight train inspections
China has launched its first set of intelligent inspection robots for freight trains at Huanghua Port in Hebei province, capable of inspecting up to 10 trains daily. Wang Peng, deputy general manager of the Suning maintenance branch of China Energy Railway Equipment Co Ltd, stated, "The robot set - one inspecting the train's underside and two checking its sides - can inspect 54 carriages in 135 minutes." The robots significantly reduce inspection time from 50 minutes for 16 personnel to just 27 minutes. They capture high-definition images and can identify over 120 types of faults, showcasing a 100% common fault recognition rate. With over 50,000 freight train arrivals expected this year, the robots are set to enhance efficiency at this key energy port.
Grammarly raises $1bn to build AI productivity platform
Writing assistant tool Grammarly has secured $1bn from venture firm General Catalyst to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) offerings as it aims to grow into a comprehensive productivity platform. "As Grammarly is going through a huge transformation of going from being a what is mostly known as a single-purpose agent to being an agent platform, it just felt very important for us to be able to bet big in our product development . . . as well as in our growth strategies," Grammarly chief executive Shishir Mehrotra said, adding that the company has an eventual goal to go public, although no imminent plans.
CYBERSECURITY
Data leaks soar in Thailand
Thailand's National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) has reported an increase in data leaks, with 5m usernames and passwords compromised this year, up from just 80,000 last year. AVM Amorn Chomchoey, the agency's secretary-general, said organisations must train employees to understand the risks of using pirated software and fraudulent links.
STRATEGY
HSBC streamlines operations with US exit
HSBC has announced its decision to exit the US business banking sector as part of a strategy to simplify operations and focus on markets in Asia and the Middle East. This move will impact approximately 4,500 clients and follows the bank's previous efforts to reduce its global footprint, including winding down its mass market retail banking in the US.
INVESTMENT
Hong Kong attracts affluent investors from China and Southeast Asia
Citibank says more rich people from mainland China and Southeast Asia are looking to invest in Hong Kong because it is a global centre for wealth management. Janus Wu, head of international personal banking (IPB) at Citibank (Hong Kong), said in the first quarter, Citibank’s high-net-worth international personal banking clients increased 13% from a year earlier while its assets under management rose 16%.
INTERNATIONAL
Riyadh's new metro cuts through social divisions in Saudi Arabia
The opening of Riyadh's new metro in December has significantly altered social interactions in the Saudi city, allowing diverse groups to share journeys for the first time. The metro enables the mingling of various socio-economic classes and facilitates conversations and cultural exchanges among passengers. Sociologist Mohammed Al-Hamza observes that the metro has been "a major social and psychological event," and has fostered a shift in societal mindsets. The project, which is part of the Vision 2030 initiative led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, spans 176 kilometres and serves 85 stations. Despite initial doubts about its usage, the metro has proven popular, and authorities are considering further expansions. Zayed al-Ghamdi, a civil servant, said: "Now, things have changed. You feel that society, with all its classes, is in one place."
Europe's defence companies scramble for talent
Interviews by Reuters with more than a dozen companies, recruiters and workers indicate that along with increasing wages and benefits, European arms manufacturers are poaching from other sectors and seeking potential recruits among pupils and students as governments ramp up spending on ammunition, tanks and other arms in response to President Donald Trump's warnings that they should not rely so much on the United States. An increase in defence spending to 3% of GDP from the current NATO target of 2% would require as many as 760,000 new skilled workers in Europe, management consultant company Kearney recently said.
‘I’ve been tricked’: high-paid foreign workers reconsider ties to UK after rule change
Foreign-born white-collar professionals in the UK fear being "kept in limbo" as they wait for government ministers to set out the details of new requirements for migrants, the FT reports.
 


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