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| LinkedIn's head economist for Asia-Pacific, Chua Pei Ying, said employers were already shifting toward "skills-based hiring" even before the rise of AI. LinkedIn |
As the job market evolves at breakneck speed, traditional college degrees are no longer a golden ticket to success. According to Chua Pei Ying, LinkedIn’s head economist for the Asia-Pacific region, the hottest jobs today are emerging faster than universities can design curriculums for them.
Speaking at the Fortune AI Brainstorm 2025 Conference in Singapore, Chua emphasized that “skills-based hiring” is rapidly becoming the norm and that trend began even before artificial intelligence began reshaping the professional landscape.
“You can't hire someone for a brand-new type of job if that job never existed in the past,” Chua told Truth Sider. “Similarly, you can’t hire someone who has a degree for that area if this area is completely new.”
Degrees Are Losing Ground to Skills
Gone are the days when job titles lined up neatly with academic majors. Today’s workforce is filled with professionals in roles that didn’t exist just a decade ago from AI prompt engineers and sustainability consultants to social media managers and data governance specialists.
According to LinkedIn data, more than 20% of professionals in the Asia-Pacific region now hold job titles that weren’t around 20 years ago. This shift is being fueled by the explosive rise of digital platforms, new technologies, and a growing demand for agility in the workplace.
And it’s not just about the titles changing. The skills required for those titles are evolving at a rapid clip. LinkedIn reports that skill sets for the same job have changed by 40% since 2016, and this is projected to hit 72% by 2030.
Chua’s advice to job seekers? Embrace the change and adapt.
The New Resume: AI Literacy, Flexibility, and Human Skills
While degrees still carry value, especially in foundational disciplines, Chua emphasizes that employers are prioritizing AI literacy and soft skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-solving.
“AI literacy is going to be mainstream,” Chua said. “It’s going to be expected for everyone.”
In this new era of work, being comfortable with AI tools from generative platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity to productivity-boosting applications is no longer optional. But using AI wisely is just as important as using it at all. Professionals need to understand how to verify AI-generated content, make decisions based on it, and use it to enhance not replace their critical thinking.
Agility is also key, especially for entry-level professionals. The ability to pivot, learn quickly, and apply knowledge in new ways is more valuable than having a static, four-year degree that may already be outdated upon graduation.
What Top Tech Leaders Are Saying About the Future of Work
Chua’s comments echo a growing consensus among tech leaders.
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, warned that up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs could disappear within five years due to automation and AI.
On the other hand, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes AI won’t necessarily kill jobs but it will transform all of them.
“100% of everybody’s jobs will be changed,” Huang told CNN. “The work will change. But it’s very likely.”
Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, said the difference between being employable and replaceable may come down to how well you can use AI.
“People who really are at the frontier of using AIs are going to be way more employable,” he said. “That’s guaranteed.”
The Human Advantage: Empathy, Critical Thinking, and Depth
Even in a world increasingly dominated by machines, human-centric skills still reign supreme.
Peter Schwartz, Salesforce’s chief futures officer, emphasized empathy and interpersonal skills as the most important qualities in the age of AI.
“The AIs can deal with all the routine stuff. The most important skill is empathy working with other people.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg echoed that sentiment, saying the most valuable employees are those who know how to think critically and learn deeply.
“If people have shown they can go deep and do one thing really well, then they’ve probably gained experience in the art of learning something,” Zuckerberg said in a July interview with Bloomberg.
How to Stay Relevant in an AI-Driven Job Market
For professionals navigating this changing landscape, here are four key takeaways:
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Don’t rely solely on your degree Invest in continuous learning and upskilling, especially with new technologies and digital tools.
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Become AI-literate Understand how to use, assess, and manage AI platforms effectively.
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Build transferable soft skills Communication, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and collaboration are now mission-critical.
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Stay agile and curious The best way to future-proof your career is to embrace change and stay open to learning.
The future of work isn’t about sticking to one path it’s about staying flexible and moving where the opportunity goes. As Chua Pei Ying put it, “You have to optimize your career for flexibility, not a single profession.”
