'There is a huge wave of change and, unfortunately, some people might be left behind'
As artificial intelligence accelerates across workplaces worldwide, employers are facing a critical challenge: how to harness technological gains without deepening inequality.
Speaking at the GITEX Asia 2025 conference, Pedro Uria-Recio, Chief Data and AI Officer at CIMB Group, warned that without deliberate strategy, the AI boom risks sidelining vulnerable segments of the workforce.
“There is a huge wave of change, and unfortunately, some people might be left behind,” he told CNBC Make It.
According to a recent report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, up to 40% of global jobs may be impacted by AI, raising concerns that economic disparities between countries could grow. In response, Uria-Recio urged companies to do more than just reskill their people.
“[We must] not only equip employees with the right skills … but also work to create new employment,” he emphasized.
Adapting to ‘tsunami wave’ of AI
But not everyone in the C-suite sees workforce preservation as the top priority, said CNBC. Tomasz Kurczyk, Chief Information Technology Officer at Prudential Singapore, argued for a more dynamic approach.
“We need to establish that protecting employment might not be the right mindset,” he said. “It’s like trying to prevent a tsunami wave. We know protection will not necessarily be effective. So it’s thinking really how we can adapt.”
Kurczyk's comments underscore a larger philosophical shift occurring in business leadership circles. While the early 2000s prioritized mobile-first strategies, Uria-Recio suggested the new imperative is to go “AI-first, but keeping humans in the loop.”
Leadership confidence vs. workforce uncertainty
The pace of adoption is accelerating rapidly. According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index, 82% of global leaders expect to expand capacity using AI-driven solutions in the next 12 to 18 months, and 78% anticipate hiring for AI-centric roles, said CNBC.
Yet this surge is not without its trade-offs—47% are also prioritizing workforce upskilling, while 33% are weighing staff reductions.
This dual track—growth through innovation alongside potential cutbacks—reflects growing boardroom debates around responsible AI deployment.
Kurczyk cautioned that technology can amplify societal biases unless properly managed.
“AI is able to take data and accelerate the bias at light speed,” he said in the CNBC report, adding: “The data is created by humans… so the data inherits our bias as well. If you think about this — the bias is not a bug. It is a feature that we don’t want when it comes to AI.”
Reimagining workforce
Despite these challenges, Kurczyk remains hopeful about AI's broader societal potential: “I believe that AI will become [free] for all, and this will open incredible opportunities for everyone across the globe,” he said.
He pointed to a possible resurgence in skilled artisanal and creative work as one silver lining, said CNBC. Still, managing the short-term disruption will require coordination far beyond individual companies.
“Where inequality can happen, it will be mostly in the short term … [and] a single company or a single organization cannot manage this,” he noted.
For meaningful progress, Kurczyk stressed the need for systemic collaboration between governments, educational institutions, and the private sector. Only then, he argued, can the AI revolution be truly inclusive.
