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Tag: automation

  • Japan Startup Muse Deploys Retail Robots to New York Grocery Stores

    Japan Startup Muse Deploys Retail Robots to New York Grocery Stores

    Japanese robotics startup Muse rolled out its automated retail helper robots in a New York grocery store to capture US supermarket demand for labor-saving physical artificial intelligence.

    The deployment puts automated shelf-stocking hardware directly into commercial grocery aisles alongside store clerks. Rising operational expenses and stubborn retail worker shortages across North America have accelerated the commercial rollout of Asian service robotics beyond domestic test markets.

    Automating shelf replenishment

    Muse built its physical AI machines to assist staff with the physical strain of routine grocery restocking. The robots navigate sales floors to handle merchandise replenishment tasks, reducing the repetitive lifting required of store associates during standard operating shifts.

    Store operators in the United States face persistent labor turnover in entry-level inventory roles. Deploying autonomous replenishment units allows grocers to maintain shelf availability without increasing headcount during peak restocking hours.

    Exporting Asian physical AI

    Japanese robotics developers are increasingly targeting overseas retail markets where wage pressures create faster paths to commercial adoption than domestic pilot schemes. While Japanese supermarkets have tested automated replenishment in limited urban formats, the scale of floor space in American grocery chains offers substantially larger hardware deployment volumes per client.

    Muse plans to use the New York supermarket deployment as an operational reference site to secure multi-unit rollouts across broader US retail chains.

  • Australian Shoppers Trust AI Recommendations over In-Store Retail Staff

    Australian Shoppers Trust AI Recommendations over In-Store Retail Staff

    Australian consumers now place more trust in artificial intelligence for shopping recommendations than in human retail staff, according to new industry research tracking store-floor buyer habits.

    The findings point to a decisive shift in how shoppers research products, compare prices, and finalize purchasing decisions across Australian retail channels.

    The shift away from floor staff

    Shoppers increasingly turn to automated search assistants, chatbot tools, and algorithm-driven recommendation engines before speaking to floor employees. Fast access to product specifications, unvarnished peer reviews, and real-time inventory checks gives digital tools an edge over human staff who may lack deep product knowledge.

    Retail workers face higher shopper expectations as a result. Store visitors often arrive having already researched technical details online, using physical visits primarily to confirm choices rather than seek basic sales guidance.

    What the preference change means for store networks

    Across the Asia-Pacific region, merchants in mature retail markets like Australia, Japan, and Singapore are reallocating technology budgets to support instant customer queries at the shelf edge. Retailers that integrate generative assistants into loyalty apps and in-store digital kiosks capture buyer intent earlier in the shopping cycle.

    Store operators must now decide how to retrain frontline staff to handle complex customer service issues rather than standard product lookup tasks.

  • Mid-Market Retailers Risk Logistics Stalls as Growth Outpaces Warehouses

    Mid-Market Retailers Risk Logistics Stalls as Growth Outpaces Warehouses

    Fast-growing retailers risk capping their own expansion when warehouse operations and inventory models fail to adapt to higher order volumes, according to supply chain advisory firm Prological Consulting.

    Operational breakdowns typically surface when mid-market businesses reach national scale, creating sudden spikes in freight bills, warehouse labour hours, and fulfilment errors.

    Peter Jones, managing director and founder of Prological Consulting, said businesses frequently rely on informal employee knowledge and manual workarounds during early growth phases. While nimble setups support early trade, those same methods turn into severe constraints once product catalogues and sales channels multiply across regions.

    Warning signs in warehouse operations

    Operational friction usually appears first in financial metrics monitored by chief financial officers and operations heads. Unbudgeted transport charges, rising import costs, and climbing warehouse labour hours signal that existing facilities can no longer handle inventory flow efficiently.

    Fulfilment disruptions follow quickly. Split shipments, inaccurate stock counts, and delayed customer deliveries indicate that facility layouts and tracking methods have reached capacity limits.

    Jones cited a Sydney-headquartered retailer that expanded from a startup into a national store network and online business generating 45 million Australian dollars in annual turnover. The company operated out of an overcrowded warehouse where pallets blocked internal transit paths and inbound import processing slowed due to heavy reliance on a handful of veteran workers.

    The business resolved the bottleneck by shifting into a larger facility within six months. The transition allowed the retailer to surpass its revenue forecasts and restore reliability across its e-commerce fulfilment operation.

    Balancing automation and inventory compromises

    Competing effectively against automated logistics networks requires retailers to integrate machinery and digital tracking into their supply chain plans. Manual operations face higher unit handling costs and slower turnaround times compared to rivals using automated storage and retrieval systems.

    Across the Asia-Pacific region, mid-tier consumer brands encounter similar friction when transitioning from local store footprints to omni-channel distribution. Operators that delay warehouse redesigns often see fulfilment expenses consume operating margins before corrective capital investments are made.

    Retailers must evaluate trade-offs between inventory holding costs, distribution points, and lead times rather than pursuing unattainable logistics perfection. Merchandising teams, store networks, digital storefronts, and third-party logistics partners need coordinated forecasting to prevent misplaced stock across regional hubs.

    Prological expects automated picking systems and predictive replenishment tools to dictate cost competitiveness as regional freight and warehouse labour expenses remain elevated.

  • Uzbekistan Commits $100 Million to Subsidise AI Across 10,000 Businesses

    Uzbekistan Commits $100 Million to Subsidise AI Across 10,000 Businesses

    Uzbekistan will spend at least $100 million to subsidise artificial intelligence adoption across 10,000 enterprises, covering half the cost of software implementation for commercial operators. The state-backed program targets manufacturing and consumer supply sectors, extending automation subsidies from the textile trade into food processing, electrical engineering, and construction materials.

    President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the funding following consultations with business owners in the Khorezm region. Government data presented at the meeting showed that 54 per cent of domestic companies using modern management and AI systems saw product demand increase. A quarter of those businesses lowered production costs, while higher sales allowed 40 per cent to raise worker wages by more than 10 per cent.

    Subsidies for Factory Automation

    Under the initiative, the state will reimburse 50 per cent of what companies spend to introduce automated management systems and machine learning tools. Participating enterprises will also receive access to pre-built, open-platform software designed to eliminate the cost of developing proprietary applications from scratch.

    Hardware support will run through the Center for Digital Government Project Management, where authorities recently brought online Uzbekistan’s first supercomputer cluster. Companies building AI models for commercial products can process workloads on the facility without charge, with research and development bills settled directly by the state budget. Computing capacity at the cluster will triple next year.

    The push reflects how Central Asian governments are attempting to modernize domestic supply chains and bypass legacy enterprise systems. While Southeast Asian manufacturing hubs rely heavily on private capital and foreign software vendors to automate shop floors, Tashkent is using direct treasury subsidies to pull mid-tier producers into modern data workflows.

    Supercomputing and Regional Education

    Administrative processes are seeing similar investments. The Ministry of Digital Technologies signed an agreement with South Korea’s National Information Society Agency and UZINFOCOM to build an AI system that processes and manages citizen appeals to state bodies, starting with a feasibility study and pilot rollout.

    Across the border, Kazakhstan is focusing resources on technical labor. First Vice Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Rostislav Konyashkin confirmed the establishment of Qazaq AI Research University under orders from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The institution will embed machine learning coursework into outside degree programs and build research links with partner centers in China, Finland, and the United Arab Emirates.

    Uzbek authorities will open the enterprise application window in stages, with initial disbursements prioritized for food processors and light industrial plants preparing export shipments.

  • Chinese Robot Makers Unveil 150 Humanoids for Warehouse and Factory Work

    Chinese Robot Makers Unveil 150 Humanoids for Warehouse and Factory Work

    Chinese robotics developers demonstrated humanoid machines sorting logistics parcels and assembling mobile handsets in Beijing this month, pushing to convert promotional technology into commercial factory installations. More than 300 mostly domestic companies participated in the World Robot Conference, presenting over 2,000 exhibits and launching upwards of 150 products.

    The presentations focused on physical industrial utility rather than scripted stage routines. Machines showed off fine motor tasks that included packing consumer electronics and sorting freight for delivery networks, alongside domestic maintenance functions.

    Deployment targets supply chains

    Warehouse operators and electronics manufacturers across East Asia face tightening labor availability and rising wage floors. Humanoid form factors aim to slot directly into facilities designed for human staff, avoiding the expensive structural retooling required by fixed automation systems.

    Retail supply chains in China handle hundreds of millions of parcels daily. Deploying dexterous bipedal and wheeled units into sorting hubs allows logistics operators to scale throughput during promotional peaks without adding headcount.

    Hardware shifts toward commercial scale

    Investor capital across the region has shifted heavily toward general-purpose robotics ventures. Chinese manufacturers rely on dense domestic component supply chains for actuators, sensors and gearboxes to lower unit production costs below Western competitors.

    Commercial viability now hinges on software reliability and battery runtime during continuous multi-hour warehouse shifts. Factory pilots scheduled across domestic consumer electronics assembly plants through the end of the year will test whether unit economics beat dedicated automated guided vehicles.

  • Nokia Unveils Autonomous Networks Fabric: A Game-Changer in AI-Driven Automation for Retail Solutions

    Nokia Unveils Autonomous Networks Fabric: A Game-Changer in AI-Driven Automation for Retail Solutions

    Nokia has unveiled its groundbreaking Autonomous Networks Fabric, claiming the title of the industry’s first suite of telco-trained artificial intelligence models integrated with security and AI applications. This innovation is set to transform network automation, granting operators the tools to deploy new services with unprecedented ease.

    A Unified Approach to Network Management

    The Autonomous Network Fabric acts as a central intelligence layer, seamlessly connecting observability, analytics, security, and automation across various network domains. It aims to ensure that networks function as cohesive adaptive systems, irrespective of their vendor, architectural style, or deployment method.

    Though operators have been gradually moving toward fully autonomous networks, many have struggled with outdated systems, siloed processes, and fragmented data. With the introduction of the Autonomous Network Fabric, Nokia addresses these challenges head-on by providing a fully integrated suite that boasts unified data management, comprehensive observability, and explainable AI. Think of it as giving operators a Swiss Army knife for handling their network intricacies.

    Streamlining Automation for Efficiency

    By enhancing automation at scale, Nokia’s Autonomous Network Fabric simplifies the complexity associated with automated processes. This empowers operators to boost reliability while simultaneously achieving significant operational cost savings. The system allows for rapid experimentation and integration of ideas that yield tangible benefits, a game-changer in the fast-paced world of telecommunications.

    Key capabilities embedded in the Autonomous Network Fabric promise to reshape operators’ approach to network management:

    Unified Data Management: The platform gathers, organizes, and publishes relevant network data as data products using a data-mesh architecture. By facilitating the rapid design and construction of new data products in a low-code/no-code environment, operators can harness AI and machine learning to create sophisticated data assets that fuel automation.

    360-Degree Observability: The solution promotes the federated use and distribution of data and AI throughout the organization, ensuring a meticulous chain of custody. This maintains high standards of quality and consistency in automation efforts.

    Explainable AI: The Autonomous Network Fabric is powered by robust, telco-trained large language models that not only support automation but also provide clarity on data interpretation, issue analysis, and action recommendations, making the inner workings of AI more transparent to users.

    Teaming Up with Google Cloud for Greater Reach

    Nokia’s offering will be available as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) application through Google Cloud, as well as on-premises via Google Distributed Cloud and in hybrid cloud settings. This strategic partnership leverages Google Cloud’s generative AI, including Vertex AI and BigQuery, to create workflows designed to enhance network operations.

    Through real-time monitoring of network traffic patterns and proactive anomaly detection, Nokia’s Autonomous Network Fabric aims to elevate subscriber experiences, allowing for zero-touch remediation of performance issues and robust disaster recovery options.

    “As networks become more complex and susceptible to vulnerabilities, there’s a clear demand for fully autonomous systems where good data is paramount. Our Autonomous Network Fabric establishes a foundation by combining Nokia’s extensive network expertise with Google Cloud’s AI capabilities,” stated Kal De, SVP of Product and Engineering at Nokia.

    The collaboration not only facilitates the deployment of Nokia’s 5G core network on Google’s cloud infrastructure but also aims to foster a space where developers can innovate and scale network automation efficiently. Muninder Singh Sambi, Vice President and General Manager of Networking and Security at Google Cloud, emphasized this partnership’s goal: to enhance network reliability, preemptively address issues, and turn data into actionable insights for high-performing networks.

    Questions & Answers

    What is Nokia’s Autonomous Networks Fabric designed to achieve?
    The Autonomous Networks Fabric is intended to revolutionize network automation by providing a fully integrated suite of tools that enhance data management, observability, and AI capabilities for operators.

    How does the collaboration with Google Cloud enhance Nokia’s offering?
    By integrating with Google Cloud, Nokia can leverage advanced AI tools for enhanced network operations, including real-time monitoring, anomaly detection, and disaster recovery, ultimately leading to improved service delivery.

    What benefits does the Autonomous Networks Fabric offer to telecommunications operators?
    Operators can expect reduced complexity in automation, increased reliability, operational cost savings, and the ability to test and implement new ideas rapidly, significantly improving the efficiency of their network management.

  • Hoshima International Launches Smart Automation Revolutionizing Garment Manufacturing

    Hoshima International Launches Smart Automation Revolutionizing Garment Manufacturing

    Hoshima International, a leader in garment automation technology based in Singapore, is revolutionizing the manufacturing landscape with its innovative solutions. With over two decades of expertise, the company empowers garment producers in various countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and Turkey, by integrating smart technology into their production processes.

    Enhancing Operational Efficiency

    Hoshima recently showcased its cutting-edge systems at the Hoshima Operation & Development Center, emphasizing its commitment to developing smart, connected garment factories.

    These advanced solutions address key challenges in the manufacturing sector, offering improved operational efficiency and sustainability. By seamlessly integrating hardware, robotics, and software, Hoshima’s suite of technologies elevates every stage of garment production—from material handling to final packaging.

    Smart Logistics and Warehousing

    State-of-the-art logistics and warehousing technologies are at the forefront of Hoshima’s offerings. By optimizing floor space and streamlining material handling, manufacturers can improve order accuracy and reduce inventory retrieval time.

    These innovations are particularly advantageous in high-mix, high-volume settings, where efficiency and rapid material movement are essential to maintaining a seamless production flow.

    Precision in Pre-Cutting and Cutting

    Automation technologies play a pivotal role early in the manufacturing process. Hoshima’s intelligent fabric relaxing and spreading systems ensure fabrics are uniformly prepared for cutting, significantly minimizing tension-related distortions.

    The integration of automated cutters enhances precision, reduces material waste, and accelerates preparation times, benefiting manufacturers with high-volume production needs.

    Innovations in Sewing

    In the sewing phase, Hoshima introduces advanced solutions like PPA Automation and AI Robotics. These innovations improve stitching accuracy, especially for intricate seams while automated quality control systems boost productivity by minimizing bottlenecks. Such enhancements allow operators to focus on higher-value tasks, positively impacting overall output quality.

    Streamlined Finishing Processes

    Hoshima’s finishing solutions simplify end-of-line operations, ensuring garments adhere to brand standards during folding and packing.

    Automation enhances presentation quality, reduces packing times, and lessens reliance on manual labor. The systems also incorporate dust and thread removal technologies, facilitating smoother delivery preparation to meet time-sensitive order demands.

    Robust Software Solutions

    Central to Hoshima’s automation framework is the Advanced Planning & Scheduling System, designed for comprehensive production management.

    This smart software enables real-time visibility, allowing businesses to efficiently monitor resources, leverage AI and Big Data, and quickly adapt to changing production requirements. The result is a harmonious integration of departments that minimizes downtime and supports informed decision-making.

    The Human Element in Technology

    According to Han Kiong Chong, Founder and Managing Director at Hoshima International, the success of these technologies depends on more than just machines: “Strong partnerships and shared commitment are essential. Our progress over 25 years stems from the trust within our network.”

    Hoshima’s investment in localized showrooms and training facilities further illustrates its dedication to supporting garment manufacturers on their automation journeys.

    Conclusion

    Hoshima International’s holistic approach—combining advanced automation technologies with extensive field support—positions the company as a key player in driving sustainable growth in the retail sector and meeting evolving consumer demands.

    Questions & Answers

    1. What is Hoshima International’s focus in garment manufacturing? Hoshima International specializes in providing advanced automation technology to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability in garment manufacturing.
    2. How does Hoshima improve the garment production process? Hoshima integrates hardware, robotics, and software solutions to streamline processes from material handling to packaging, addressing challenges like labor shortages and inconsistent output.
    3. Why is human support crucial in Hoshima’s strategy? Human expertise is essential for creating and maintaining effective automation systems. Partnerships and a commitment to training ensure successful technology adoption in the manufacturing sector.
  • How to Meet Demand in an e-commerce Age with Supply Chain Automation  

    How to Meet Demand in an e-commerce Age with Supply Chain Automation  

    Retailers across the Southeast Asian region are under tremendous supply chain pressure due to increased demand for online orders, hyper-competitive pricing and faster delivery times. For online orders, customers want the cheapest price, shortest delivery time, up-to-date information on stock availability, access to the real-time status of their orders, and seamless return options. On top of all this, businesses continue to contend with increasing labour costs, high staff turnover, increasing costs for building space, pressures from increased regulation and safety requirements, and supply chain disruptions, be they from pandemics, natural disasters and geopolitical tensions.

    All these factors combined have made the task of cost-effective order fulfilment more challenging than ever before. However, there is a way business can tackle these challenges and turn them into an opportunity to improve competitiveness. As this new age of retail and eCommerce coerces supply chains to work faster and harder, automation and technology in Fulfilment Centres are proving to play a critical role in helping businesses streamline their processes towards achieving higher levels of efficiency in their distribution operations.

    So, what can retailers do to meet demand in an e-commerce age when the only constant appears to be disruption?

    Optimised processes make for streamlined operations

    The answer to succeeding in the future involves adopting a strategy to optimise operations around cost-effectively meeting and exceed consumer expectations. Optimisation falls into three broad categories: processes, human efficiency, and inventory management.

    Processes provide the structure for supply chains to function. Automation and technology help optimise processes by removing non-value-adding activities, improving productivity, reducing errors and increasing the speed of the necessary tasks. As an example, the order fulfilment processes can be improved significantly in terms of speed, productivity and accuracy with the implementation of wearable devices to provide real-time instructions and interaction with operators. The process of order tracking is automatically improved with the same software that drives the technology, also providing the capability to track every transaction and movement of inventory through the order fulfilment task.

    Inventory management is key

    Inventory storage has transitioned from being a static requirement to a dynamic one, with many supply chains now able to drive high levels of optimisation across their logistics operations and their retail operations as well.  Automation and technology often play a key role in achieving these high levels of optimisation.

    Manual forklift trucks and Automated Storage Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) are no longer the only material-handling technologies that can be used to store inventory.  Technologies such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), mobile robotics and shuttle systems can provide much more flexible, scalable and dynamic storage solutions in a wider range of supply chain facilities.

    Make your workers more effective

    In traditional order fulfilment operations, operator travel consumes the largest portion of an operator’s time in fulfilling a customer order. One of the most effective ways to improve the efficiency of operators is to minimise operator travel, or to eliminate it altogether. In terms of automation, Goods-to-Person (GTP) picking solutions can increase operator productivity by over 5 times by eliminating operator travel.  Advances in robotic fulfilment technology have enabled order fulfilment processes to be performed without the involvement of operators at all in some cases.

    Case Study: RedMart’s Advanced Online Grocery Fulfilment with GTP

    To meet surging demand and growth in online orders, RedMart – the online grocery service of e-commerce giant, Lazada – implemented automation at its logistics facility in Singapore, in order to improve productivity, speed, accuracy, and space efficiency.

    A key part of the automation solution is the Goods-to-Person (GTP) order fulfilment, powered by a Dematic Multishuttle system. At the ergonomically designed workstations, operators pick orders up to five times faster than they were previously when they would have to manually travel through multiple aisles of shelving to pick the items required for an order.

    The GTP system covers a huge product range in a small footprint, with an extremely effective picking method. Workers stay in one place as items are automatically delivered to their workstation, increasing picking speeds, improving fulfilment accuracy, and advancing operator comfort and safety.

    Optimisation with information

    With the use of new logistics automation and technologies, retailers have a pathway to improve their fulfilment operations, achieving cost-effective and efficient fulfilment processes, higher levels of inventory availability, shorter lead times and improved traceability.  Robust and real-time integration between mechatronics, control systems and software platforms across fulfilment operations and their broader supply chain networks, is a key ingredient to achieving competitiveness and sustainable success in the future landscape of retail.

    For more information on how your business can optimise its supply chain operations and meet market demands, please visit: www.dematic.com/en-au

    Written by: Michael Bradshaw, Senior Regional Director Sales & Solution Development, Dematic Asia

     

     

     

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  • Disruptive Technology, Automation Force Change in Workers’ Skills: McKinsey

    Disruptive Technology, Automation Force Change in Workers’ Skills: McKinsey

    Changes in global demand for different types of workforce skills, caused by the rapid growth of technology, will require business organizations to provide training programs to employees.

    McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), a think-tank of consulting firm McKinsey & Co., projects that by 2030, demand for technological expertise will increase by even 55 percent, while for social and emotional skills, needed in leadership and management, will rise by 24 percent. Demand for higher cognitive skills such as creativity, critical thinking, decision making and complex information processing will rise moderately, by 8 percent.

    According to McKinsey, some 800 million workers worldwide, or one-fifth of the global workforce, will lose their jobs to artificial intelligence.

    “Preparing for and managing the growing shifts in demand for different types of workforce skills represents one of the biggest challenges of the next decade. Our research highlights the big increase in demand for tech and social skills that are currently in quite short supply and an oversupply of skills that may be less needed in the future, including physical and manual skills,” MGI director Jacques Bughin said in a statement last week.

    Demand for basic cognitive skills, like simple data input and processing, will drop by 15 percent, while demand for manual and physical skills will decrease by 14 percent.

    According to a similar study by the Asian Development Bank, though technology has changed certain job tasks, it actually contributes to higher and faster economic growth, as automation will create higher demand for more goods and services, which in turn will create more new jobs to replace obsolete ones.

    Using data from 12 countries in Asia from 2005 to 2015, ADB estimated that 66 percent of jobs in the region, or 101 million jobs per year, were lost to automation. Among the most vulnerable are those in the manufacturing industry.

    After analyzing data in 12 Asian countries from 2005 to 2015, ADB estimated that 66 percent of jobs in the region, or 101 million jobs per year, had lost to automation. However, there was an 88 percent increase in employment over the period, or 134 million jobs per year, well offsetting the jobs lost to automation.The MGI and ADB reports are unanimous in their conclusions that working culture, training programs and organization structures must be redesigned.

    “Companies will take the lead in building their own future workforce, but all stakeholders — educators, foundations, industry associations, organized labor and of course policy makers — will have a role to play,” MGI partner Susan Lund said in the statement.

    “In our research, we identify a range of approaches and discuss the experience of some companies which are already engaging in large-scale workforce retraining,” she said.

    MGI suggests that companies and business leaders will have to decide in the coming years whether to pursue training using in-house resources or to partner with educational institutions that will provide external learning opportunities for employees.

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  • Indonesia Not Yet Ready for the Automated Era

    Indonesia Not Yet Ready for the Automated Era

    The government must prepare Indonesia’s workforce to be competitive to anticipate future challenges associated with coming technological advancements, especially in business, a former deputy foreign minister said on Sunday (18/02).

    The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) will inevitably bring changes in the economy and social structure due to exponentially expanding technological advancements, said Dino Patti Djalal, the former deputy foreign minister and also the founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FICP).

    According to Dino, jobs will face the greatest disruption from technology and is one of the major challenges expected to come about as a result of the advent of the 4IR. Automation, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence are expected to replace millions of existing jobs.

    Recently, around 10,000 toll road personnel in Jakarta were laid off after the government began to employ cashless transactions on major roads in the capital city.

    “Based on data from [global consultant] McKinsey, by 2050, hundreds of millions of people around the world will lose their jobs; that will occur mostly in China, which is expected to lose over 200 million jobs,” Dino said in a speech at the 21st Supermentor event hosted by FICP in Jakarta.

    According to state-owned China Central Television news network, Yangshan deepwater port in Shanghai, the world’s busiest container port, in December last year conducted trials on 100 pieces of intelligent equipment, including 50 driverless automatic guided vehicles, to handle cargo.

    Qingdao New Qianwan Container Terminal in China became Asia’s first automated port terminal in May last year. The port reduced the amount of workers required to unload a cargo ship from 60 to nine.

    Highly skilled workers will benefit from the technological changes but low skilled workers will have to compete with automated processes, Dino said.

    While Indonesia seems to have a long way to go before a fully automated workplace becomes commonplace, the government should start preparing to create a balance between the workforce and profitability to avoid job loss. New approaches to education are expected to rein more innovative solutions to 21st-century workplaces.

    “Nothing will change much regarding community empowerment if there is no change in education to adapt to the technology, which is currently thriving at full speed,” Dino said.

    Erik Meijer, president director of telecommunications company TelkomTelstra, said the technology utilization in jobs will increase safety as it reduces the risk of human error.

    According to Erik, jobs available over the next 10 years will be divided into “personal areas,” such as nurse practitioners, physical therapists and personal financial advisers, and “science,” which will include jobs like cybersecurity experts, developers and network engineers. Meanwhile, assembly line workers, service jobs and administrative jobs will ultimately be replaced.

    “We must be aware of the skill shifts needed in the digital era to get opportunities from technology and not be sidelined,” Erik said.

    Speakers at the event included other influential figures, including Dato Sri Tahir, founder of Mayapada Group and Tahir Foundation, and Tony Fernandes, chief executive of budget airline group AirAsia.

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