KUALA LUMPUR: More than 620,000 jobs in Malaysia are expected to be significantly impacted by artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation and the green economy within the next three to five years, says Steven Sim.
The Human Resources Minister said the figure represents around 18% of the total 3.5 million workers across 10 core sectors studied in the "Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital and Green Economy on Malaysia's Workforce" report conducted by Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp).
He said five sectors were projected to be the most affected, namely: wholesale and retail trade (245,000 jobs), food manufacturing services (203,000), global business services (89,000), electrical and electronics (37,000) and information and communications technology (30,000).
"While some conventional jobs are at risk of being replaced by technology, this transformation will also create significant opportunities for new, high-skilled roles that are more aligned with future needs," Sim said in a parliamentary written reply on Monday (Aug 18).
He said the study, undertaken by the ministry through TalentCorp, identified 60 emerging roles that will become increasingly important in the evolving labour market.
Of these, 43 roles (72%) are related to AI and digital fields, such as AI engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity analysts and automation technicians, Sim said.
He added that a further 11 roles (18%) are linked to the green economy, including sustainability specialists, renewable energy engineers and energy economists.
Meanwhile, he said six roles (10%) fall under new technologies, such as remote operators, autonomous systems technicians and robotics handlers.
"These new roles are expected to emerge rapidly within the 10 core sectors highlighted by the study – ICT; electrical and electronics; aerospace; chemicals; energy and power; medical devices; pharmaceutical manufacturing; wholesale and retail trade; global business services; and food manufacturing services," Sim said.
He added that Malaysia must prepare its workforce to adapt to these changes, particularly by upskilling and reskilling initiatives tailored to the needs of the industry.
"By proactively equipping workers with the necessary skills, Malaysia can not only mitigate the risks of job displacement but also seize the opportunities of digitalisation, AI and the green economy to drive inclusive and sustainable growth," Sim said.
