ROBOTICS DEMAND RISING
These robots are entering factories, hospitals and retail spaces, and becoming more capable as they take on tasks that once required human judgment and coordination.
As a result, demand is rising for workers skilled in both robotics and AI, which increasingly determines what robots can do.
“Robots have become a lot more capable,” said Mr Tung.
“Now they can better sense the environment. They can actually not just operate on the pre-programmed structured algorithms, but are able to think, make a certain decision and then act upon that decision.”
However, challenges remain with some companies struggling to hire.
Some positions can stay vacant for more than six months, and firms often have to look overseas to fill these gaps.
“This challenge with talent is a global phenomenon,” said Mr Tung, adding that the rapid growth of robotics and embodied AI has sparked strong interest and excitement worldwide.
Companies everywhere are racing to secure workers with the right skills, and those who are well-trained are usually quickly snapped up, he noted.
In Singapore, institutions are stepping up by expanding robotics programmes to meet demand, while industry partners are exploring new ways to build and sustain a strong talent pool.
On what more can be done to help local talent compete with larger economies such as the United States and China, Mr Tung noted: “We have a lot of good local talent in robotics and embodied AI.
“If you compare Singapore … to all these larger economies (where the) population size (is) much bigger, in some ways, statistically, you always find less. But we always do quite well on a per capita basis.”
He added that many capable Singaporeans are contributing meaningfully to the field – not only those based in Singapore, but also those working overseas.
“What NRP is trying to do is basically try to build this network with our overseas Singaporeans as well as our local talent, and also with international talent, and bring them together to foster this exchange of ideas, views (and) perspectives,” he said.