The United Arab Emirates has announced plans to introduce AI education in curriculum in all government schools, making AI a mandatory subject from kindergarten through to grade 12, starting next academic year.

The initiative, announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, aims to provide children as young as four with understanding of AI technologies, principles, and ethical considerations.

“Our goal is to teach our children a deep understanding of AI from a technical perspective, while also fostering their awareness of the ethics of this new technology, enhancing their understanding of its data, algorithms, applications, risks, and its connection to society and life,” Sheikh Mohammed stated on May 4.

Global context: A competitive landscape

The UAE’s announcement comes amid a global rush by multiple nations to integrate AI education into their curricula, with each country adopting distinctive approaches based on their educational priorities and technological aspirations.

In Beijing, China, primary and secondary school pupils will receive a minimum of eight hours of AI-focused lessons each academic year beginning this autumn. Children as young as six will learn how to engage with AI-powered tools, gain a foundational understanding of the technology, and explore ethical considerations surrounding its use.

The Beijing Municipal Education Commission recently announced that schools may integrate these lessons into existing subjects like information technology and science or offer them as standalone courses.

Its plan includes developing a multi-year AI curriculum, establishing a structured education and training system, introducing support initiatives, and promoting awareness of the program. China’s approach is particularly notable as it has already taken concrete steps toward implementation.

Last December, China’s Ministry of Education selected 184 schools to trial AI-focused curricula, forming the basis for future expansion. According to Minister Huai Jinpeng, AI represents a crucial component of China’s educational strategy.

Estonia, with its already strong digital education foundation, is taking a different path. Estonia’s government recently partnered with OpenAI to introduce AI-driven education tools to secondary school pupils and teachers. From September, students in Years 10 and 11 will gain access to customised AI learning platforms, with additional support for educators in lesson planning and administrative tasks.

Comparing approaches

While the UAE curriculum appears comprehensive on paper, with 7 key areas spanning from foundational concepts to community engagement, it’s important to note that there has been no announcement yet on whether private schools, which are regulated separately, will be instructed to roll out AI classes.

This contrasts with China’s approach which appears to be moving toward broader implementation beyond pilot programmes. The UAE’s plan is ambitious in its age range, starting with four-year-olds, which is younger than many other programmes globally.

The curriculum is broken into three cycles, with tailored units for each age group. Four-year-olds will engage in visual and interactive activities to discover AI through play, while older students progress to comparing machines to humans, designing their own AI systems, andtually learning command engineering with real-world scenarios.

South Korea and Canada have taken different approaches, incorporating AI into existing school curricula, offering AI-powered learning materials and classroom tools for teachers rather than creating entirely new subject areas. The integration model may prove more practical for educational systems that face challenges in adding new subjects to already crowded curricula.

Critical assessment

What distinguishes the various approaches is not necessarily which country is “leading,” but rather how each nation’s AI education strategy aligns with its broader technological and economic goals.

For the UAE, the emphasis appears to be on creating a framework that starts from the earliest years of education. Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, described the integration of AI in education as a “national imperative” that “supports economic growth, fosters sustainable development and significantly enhances individual capabilities.”

However, experts might question whether starting AI education at age four is developmentally appropriate, or if the UAE’s education system has the necessary infrastructure and teacher training to deliver such an ambitious curriculum effectively. The practical considerations will determine the program’s success beyond the ambitious announcement.

China’s approach benefits from the country’s established technological infrastructure and its significant investments in AI research and development, potentially giving it advantages in implementation. The selection of 184 schools for trial programmes demonstrates a methodical approach focused on gathering data before broader implementation.

In the UK, the approach has been more fragmented with at least one private school launching an experimental learning space where students use virtual reality headsets and AI platforms instead of traditional teaching methods. This reflects a more market-driven approach compared to the centralised government initiatives seen in the UAE, China, and Estonia.

Balancing technology and pedagogy

All these initiatives face similar challenges regarding the balance between technological innovation and sound pedagogical approaches. While AI can transform education by making learning more accessible and personalised, education authorities worldwide remain cautious.

The United Nations has highlighted the importance of responsible AI implementation, recommending clear guidelines, inclusivity, and a focus on human-centred learning.

The rush to implement AI education also raises questions about equity and access. Will these programmes exacerbate existing digital divides between well-resourced and under-resourced schools? Will all teachers receive adequate training to deliver these curricula effectively?

Looking forward

Rather than crowning any nation as the definitive leader in AI education, it’s more accurate to observe that there is something of a global recognition of AI litreacy as a component of future education. Each country’s approach reflects its unique educational philosophy, technological capabilities, and strategic priorities.

The UAE’s ambitious programme, China’s methodical implementation, Estonia’s partnership model, and other nations’ varying approaches will provide data on the results of AI education strategies. The true test will be in implementation, teacher training, curriculum quality, and ultimately, student outcomes.

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other leading technology events. Click here for more information.

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Whether you’re a leader aiming to integrate AI strategically, a creative professional eager to streamline content creation, or someone simply interested in exploring AI’s potential, there are courses designed to match any number of career paths and expertise levels.

Staying informed on AI’s ethical considerations, mastering AI-specific tools, and learning how to navigate the shifting job landscape are key to personal and business success in this new era.

Embracing these learning opportunities can help you or your organisation innovate, make informed decisions, and keep pace with the rapid changes AI brings to the workplace. Here are a couple of online AI courses that you can take:

Prompt Engineering+: Master Speaking to AI

‘Prompt engineering’ is the structuring of instructions for generative AI models, with practitioners serving as an interface between human intent and machine response. Success in this field requires understanding models’ architecture, training data, tokenisation, and available, tune-able parameters. Essential skills for prompt engineers include natural language processing, proficiency with AI models like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and DALL-E, analytical skills, and Python programming.

Prompt Engineering+: Master Speaking to AI prepares learners to create effective prompts for diverse AI applications. The course covers prompt structure, one-shot, few-shot, and zero-shot learning, and best practices to enhance problem-solving and decision-making. Students gain insight into prompt engineering’s role in industry, the skills needed to tackle challenges like AI inaccuracies, and ways to control model output for safe deployment. Equipped with practical experience, learners are ready to enter this emerging field confidently.

What you’ll learn:

• Fundamentals and advanced techniques in prompt engineering,
• Lifecycle skills for prompt refinement and deployment, and many more.

Generative AI for Leaders

Generative AI presents both opportunity and challenge. Its rapid advancements push business leaders to act quickly, yet uncertainties and organisational constraints can cause hesitation, even at the highest level. Although 43% of CEOs have started investing in AI with 45% planning to do so soon, most focus on quick efficiency gains rather than transformative initiatives. Currently, 90% of organisations remain at early AI maturity stages, with deployments limited to proofs-of-concept or small-scale projects.

Who should take this course?

Business leaders, executives, managers, team leaders, technology decision-makers, and professionals interested in digital transformation.

What you will learn:

• How to leverage AI for business innovation and efficiency,
• Strategies for building and executing an AI-driven business strategy,
• Fostering a culture that supports AI adoption and collaboration,
• Ethical and legal considerations, including addressing AI bias and compliance,
• Insights into the latest AI trends and preparing your organisation for the future.

Canva AI: Master Canva AI Tools and Apps 2024

This course introduces Canva’s AI tools to simplify and enhance content creation. Participants will explore how Canva AI supports efficient design for projects like social media posts, videos, PDFs, and presentations. With practical guidance on Canva’s Magic Studio, the course delves into creating speaking avatars and converting text to images. By the end, learners will have hands-on experience and the skills to produce a wide variety of content quickly and effectively.

What you’ll learn:

• How use Canva AI in projects, including materials for social media posts, videos, PDFs, and presentations.
• Use of Canva AI Magic Studio to enhance results and simplify content creation.
• Exploration of Canva’s top AI applications, such as creating speaking avatars and text-to-image transformations.
• Techniques to produce 100+ social media posts in minutes, boosting content creation efficiency.
• Hands-on experience through interactive projects at the end of each section.

Artificial Intelligence: Preparing Your Career for AI

As AI becomes integral to business strategies, organisations must rethink hiring, training, and upskilling. Generative AI is expected to reshape workflows, redefine roles, and shift skill demands. The question isn’t if AI will replace jobs, but rather which skills it will affect and how organisations can refocus human priorities.

In this free course, you’ll learn five steps to prepare your career for the AI-centric workplace:

• Educate yourself on AI fundamentals,
• Align your career path with AI advancements,
• Invest thoughtfully in an AI-first economy,
• Use AI responsibly and ethically,
• Adapt to continuous AI-driven changes.

The future will favour those who engage with AI proactively—take the steps now to stay ahead!

Who this course is for:

Ideal for beginners and general audiences interested in understanding AI’s impact on careers.

Business Analyst: Digital Director for AI and Data Science

Staying current with trends like AI and Big Data is crucial for those defining requirements for digital solutions. In AI projects, the process of requirements elicitation and analysis is as essential as in any initiative, with success based on collaboration between business stakeholders and technical experts, the latter including data scientists and machine learning engineers.

Business analysts are important in ensuring new technologies add business value by guiding and specifying data needs. As AI advances, they act as support for data science by clarifying what information is essential to generate accurate models.

What you’ll learn:

• The role of business analysts in implementing AI solutions,
• Techniques for requirements elicitation in conversational user experiences,
• Differences between NLU and rule-based bots,
• Basics of conversation flow analysis and design.

Who this course is for:

Ideal for professionals involved in requirements for Data Science, Machine Learning, or AI projects, including Business Analysts, Systems Analysts, Product Owners, Managers, and Executives.

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

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Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has welcomed Malaysia’s National Budget 2025, themed “Madani Economy: Negara Makmur, Rakyat Sejahtera,” describing it as a budget that solidifies the foundation for the nation’s digital future. With the country preparing to lead ASEAN in 2025, the timing of these initiatives couldn’t be better, said MDEC CEO Anuar Fariz Fadzil.

According to Anuar, the new budget provides the necessary support to accelerate Malaysia’s digitalisation journey, particularly through initiatives to adopt AI and foster inclusive growth in a variety of industries. “Malaysia is ready for the future,” he said, highlighting how the budget places the country as a collaborator in key areas such as AI, digital economy, and innovation, which are especially important as Malaysia prepares for its ASEAN leadership role.

For the country’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the budget includes incentives to adopt digital tools, which are likely to improve productivity and operational efficiency. The initiatives align with Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo’s vision that Malaysia’s digital economy could soon make up 25.5% of the GDP, perhaps even reaching this milestone by 2024.

This year’s significant achievement was garnering US$16.9 billion in investments from global tech companies such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle, thanks to collaborative efforts by government agencies, including MDEC. According to Anuar, these investments highlight Malaysia’s value as a regional hub for cloud infrastructure and a rising force in the digital economy.

AI and digital initiatives take centre stage

The government has earmarked RM10 million for the National AI Office and RM50 million for AI in education. The allocations reflect Malaysia’s commitment to advancing AI while fostering a skilled talent pool. Anuar cited Malaysia’s recent establishment of the ASEAN AI Safe Network as a proactive step toward ethical AI development, and MDEC’s support for these initiatives will guarantee that AI technologies are implemented responsibly.

Malaysia’s Digital ID project is also set to play a role. Digital ID intends to enhance trust in digital transactions and reduce online fraud by introducing a secure, standardised mechanism for online identity verification, contributing to Malaysia’s broader digital transformation.

Supporting startups and innovation

Malaysia’s startup ecosystem is expected to profit considerably from the RM1 billion National Fund-of-Funds and RM1 billion Pioneer Fund, both managed by KWAP. MDEC also welcomed additional support for Cradle Fund to help local startups grow globally, alongside a matching grant to encourage collaboration between startups and government-linked companies (GLCs) through venture capital.

Programs like MDEC’s Founders Centre of Excellence (FOX) continue to be vital for emerging startups, providing mentorship and critical resources. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has cited Vitrox Bhd as a success story – founded by two Universiti Sains Malaysia engineers, Vitrox has grown into an international player in the electronics sector.

Through collaborations with entrepreneurs and local communities, MDEC aims to ensure that Malaysia’s digital economy not only grows but also creates opportunities for all, reinforcing Malaysia’s position as a digital leader in the ASEAN region.

Fiscal sustainability concerns

Malaysia’s fiscal sustainability has come under scrutiny as the National Budget 2025 approaches an all-time high of RM421 billion. The budget’s extensive expenditure plan includes significant subsidy cutbacks and an expanded tax base, but analysts are apprehensive.

While targeted subsidies are intended to help lower-income groups, there is a fear that the policies may put a strain on vulnerable households already dealing with growing living costs.

Extending the Sales and Services Tax (SST) to cover more goods and services could encounter resistance from businesses and customers due to increased prices, especially during a period of economic uncertainty.

Challenges in scaling AI education and skills

The government’s commitment to AI education and skill development is a positive step toward digital transformation, but progress towards these goals efficiently presents problems.

Experts note that rapidly scaling up AI-focused educational resources will be important in meeting demand for digital skills, yet the process could face hurdles. Bureaucratic delays and implementation bottlenecks may also slow progress.

Additionally, with AI evolving so quickly, Malaysia will need to update its curricula and training programs continuously, an effort that requires both agility and substantial resources.

Balancing growth with socioeconomic impact

While Malaysia’s investments in digital infrastructure and AI hold promise for economic growth, some experts warn of potential socio-economic risks. Without careful implementation, the initiatives could unintentionally deepen socio-economic divides.

If the change toward targeted subsidies is not managed successfully, it may have an unintended impact on low-income households. While the rise in the minimum wage is a positive move, it may put financial strain on smaller firms already struggling with operational costs.  

The goal will be to find a balance that supports digital growth without overburdening the most vulnerable.

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

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There’s been a tense dynamic between AI and education since generative AI became commonplace, sparking fears that it would enable mass cheating in schools and at collegiate level.

While many Western countries banned ChatGPT from schools, Japan was one of the first countries to not only implement AI in learning but also publish guidelines for its use in the classroom.

Since late 2022, there’s been a significant shift in the way that educators view AI. The ubiquity of the technology has made it impossible to ignore and ultimately its existence, and the changes it will bring, have been accepted.

In the same way computers, then the internet, became too indispensable to leave out of education, so generative AI has joined the curriculum.

But what does AI mean for education?

On the one hand, the tech is a handy tool for learning: it can be used to create interactive games to teach children academic and social skills, and at a higher level used to summarize long passages of text for in-class discussion or to generate talking points.

The revolutionary step taken by the Japanese education ministry was to outline the importance of education about AI itself, stipulating that students should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of AI before using it.

It’s unlikely that the majority of educators will by sheer coincidence be experts in the field of generative AI. That’s why new ways of teaching need to be introduced so that the next generation of teachers are AI literate.

How to teach AI?

Gamification is a hugely effective way of engaging students. The success of Duolingo proves that: its game-like interface and the potential for competition on the app keeps users coming back daily.

In the APAC region especially, gaming is a huge market. There are 1.5 million identified gamers across the region, and they spend more time gaming than the global average – and register highest engagement levels.

That makes it the ideal place to launch AI Arena, an educational offering from ArenaX Labs that uses the advantages of gamification and competition in education to teach AI literacy.

Gen Z and Gen Alpha cite gaming platforms as their go-to for feeling less anxious and stressed. As Asia continues to dominate the global gaming market in terms of time online and engagement, why would we not use interactive gameplay for education?

We spoke to CEO Brandon Da Silva and COO Wei Xie about their vision for the future of AI education.

Part of their philosophy is that it’s imperative that everyone understand the workings of AI, beyond its mere usage. AI Arena, which is a player-vs-player fighter game, is aimed at a younger demographic because, according to Brandon, “younger people are more proficient, because [technology] is almost like a second language to them […] they grew up programming. I feel like it’s important to equip kids in time for this new world that’s ahead of them.”

Wei pointed out that “there’s a structural deficit, a supply and demand balance, in terms of the people in the world that actually understand the technology, relative to how quickly this technology is moving.”

Not enough people actually understand how to build solutions with AI, how to improve and manipulate it so that it can solve different problems. “That’s the layer of understanding and aptitude that [they’re] trying to open the window to for the younger generation.”

We’re already playing catchup with the rate of AI’s uptake compared to education on it. The younger generation spends so much time not only actively gaming but also streaming content to learn tips and tricks, it makes sense to tap into this enthusiasm to learn.

AI Arena requires players to train AI models to battle each other autonomously. The competitive element will engage students in learning more effectively than more traditional teaching methods might.

Traditional institutionalized education is already being disrupted by AI, so professors are thinking about more creative ways to integrate applied learning into their curriculums, says Wei.

“This is a very interesting way to package a curriculum or coursework […] And because it’s also competitive, you can use it as midterm project work, not only to get people engaged, but it’s actually a very interesting way to evaluate how people are learning information as well.”

For now, the key demographic ArenaX is catering to is the adult gaming market, from ages around 18-30. But this is by no means a limitation, and despite a current focus on college level students, the core infrastructure has intentionally been designed so it can be scaled back and applied to any game.

The game isn’t an attempt to replace Masters or PhD programs, of course. Rather, it’s a gateway for students to get into AI.

Getting familiar with an AI world

Brandon says we should “think about this as the starting point to get familiar with these concepts, understand how machine learning algorithms work.”

Next on the horizon from ArenaX is a research platform where users can start building their own code.

We are still relatively early in the lifecycle of AI. That’s why the future of the technology is so obscure. The best way to prepare is by equipping as many people as possible with a core understanding of the workings of AI.

For more on AI Arena and ArenaX, visit their sites. Brandon Da Silva and Wei Xie can both be found on LinkedIn.

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Being one of the world’s first and largest online learning platforms, Coursera has been at the center of education technology (edtech) for over a decade. The California-based startup not only democratized education but also revolutionized it. By the start of the pandemic, Coursera had already embraced AI through CourseMatch as part of its Coronavirus Response Initiative. 

Its goal throughout COVID-19 was simple: to enable universities to facilitate learning as governments worldwide mandated the shutdown of non-essential institutions in response to the pandemic. Today, Coursera has garnered over 124 million registered learners, hosting more than 5,400 courses, created mainly by nearly 300 universities and industry partners like Google and IBM. 

Then came ChatGPT in late 2022 — a powerful, freely available AI software capable of writing sophisticated responses to prompts — that sparked intense speculation about the long-term repercussions on various industries and activities. But nowhere has the impact been felt more immediately than in education. 

The edtech industry was valued at US$123 billion in 2022. Still, the market is expected to grow at a 13.6% compounded annual rate, reaching US$348 billion by 2030, according to Grandview research. These figures are no surprise, given the massive move toward remote and hybrid work. 

In addition, the recent rise in AI means an estimated 44% of employee skills are expected to be disrupted over the next five years, according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) report. Therefore, six in 10 workers will require training before 2027. On the other side of the market, new skills are increasing in demand, such as data science, coding, and big data. 

Given Coursera’s position as a market leader in edtech, the company has all the opportunities to fill this gap in the education industry. And it did – at its 11th annual conference in April this year, Coursera unveiled its newest generative AI personal learning assistant, “Coach.” The company also revealed it was adding ChatGPT-powered interactive edtech tools to its learning platform, including Coach for students and an AI course-building tool for teachers. 

But learning online remains a hard nut to crack. Evidence that it works has often been contradictory or disappointing. In fact, many still remember the hype a decade ago around MOOCs, or massive open online courses, which did not prove as transformative as some advocates had hoped, with few students completing the classes they started. Yet, some changes in how online courses are structured now seem promising.

Tech Wire Asia had the chance to speak with Raghav Gupta, the Managing Director of Coursera India & Asia Pacific, who discussed how generative AI has created an unprecedented demand for reskilling and personalized and interactive learning. 

What’s the learner base like in the region you cover?

Asia Pacific has around 19 million learners, and India has around 20 million. The country with the largest number of registered learners is the US at 22 million, followed by India, Mexico, Brazil, and China. Asia Pacific is growing reasonably fast. I’m responsible for all three parts of this business. We work with educators in the region, who create content on the Coursera platform. We work with businesses, governments, and campuses as well.

In total, around 200 universities and 100 companies create content. When Coursera started with MOOCs, it started with courses that took four to six weeks to complete. Today, the catalog of content has expanded significantly. There are around 3,500 guided projects, courses, and specializations and nearly 50 online degrees in the Coursera platform.

What’s the job market like in the market you cover, and how has it evolved over the last couple of years since the pandemic?

Today, according to data from the International Labor Organization (ILO) that measures employment to population ratio, overall, it is almost back to pre-pandemic levels in the region. So in 2019, 56.9% of people were employed as a percentage of the population, and as of late last year, it was about 56.2% of people. 

So broadly, job levels are almost back to the pre-pandemic levels. There is still a significant gap in the kind of jobs companies want to fill because of digitizations that are changing the job market landscape.

In general, if we were to study what the ILO is saying, or what the WEF’s job reports of 2023 are saying, the most significant trend is that so far, low-skilled jobs are getting most impacted by technology. If you work in a factory, then robots are replacing you; as cashiers or tellers, your job will likely get automated.

With generative AI, however, it is the highly skilled jobs and the highly educated jobs that are getting impacted. Moreover, the emerging view is that a sizable number of jobs will change skills over the next five years. All in all, some specific jobs are impacted, and some get lost. But the upside is that new kinds of jobs are also being created.

Tell me more about the new jobs.

The World Economic Forum’s report on jobs has some highlights. It projects the loss of 83 million jobs, while 69 million are forecasted to be created in the next five years. This means around 14 million jobs will be lost in the next four to five years. Companies are approaching this by embracing the need to continue driving the skill development of their employees.

Another thing we are seeing is that given the rapid pace of technological change, skills are becoming even more important. Topics like problem-solving, critical thinking, analytical thinking, and creativity, which AI will not take over, are becoming more acute. And we see companies doubling down on building skills like these in their employees. Even topics like leadership and teamwork are becoming more critical.

What about generative AI? Are the fears around “AI taking over jobs” authentic, or should people be more aware that human skills still supersede that of a machine?

ChatGPT was released to the world on December 1, 2022, and within months, it started impacting many people worldwide. The impact is a little clearer in the US because that’s where the adoption of the technology is higher. But if you think about how things are changing, we look at months instead of quarters or years. And so the pace is very significant. 

How do you see generative AI impacting Coursera in particular?

We are approaching it in three ways. Firstly, we are aware that people come to Coursera to learn topics that are relevant to them. So, we made sure that we have content on Coursera related to AI and generative AI; currently, we have over 770 courses.

Second, the impact online learning can now have with generative AI integrated into the Coursera platform will be a lot more significant. 

That is why we developed Coach, for people who create content, including authors, instructors, professors, etc. We turbocharged that capability with AI-assisted coach building. The third way we approach this is by knowing how responsible AI is. Guiding principles for how we adopt AI and a generative AI specifically is the third piece of what we are working on. 

The post Here’s how Coursera embraces the potential of generative AI appeared first on TechWire Asia.

In a world where the line between reality and virtual experiences is continually blurring, AI in gaming stands as a frontier of limitless possibilities. Whether it’s the iconic Cortana guiding you through interstellar missions in Halo or the deep, introspective journeys of androids in Detroit: Becoming Human, artificial intelligence has become an integral part of modern gaming. But are these notable examples just the tip of the iceberg?

AI’s impact on gaming goes beyond creating compelling narratives and lifelike non-player characters (NPCs). Its footprint is much broader, infusing the gaming experience with dynamic responsiveness and complexity that evolves in real time. From providing an enhanced player experience to ensuring that games adapt to individual play styles, AI in gaming is setting a new paradigm for interactivity and engagement.

Prepare to embark on a deep dive into the gaming world, where AI not only complements but transforms how we interact, strategize, and immerse ourselves in digital universes.

The two sides of AI in player experiences: Frustration and learning

Tech Wire Asia recently spoke with Brandon Da Silva, CEO of ArenaX Labs, about how AI technologies like reinforcement learning are reshaping game development. According to Da Silva, gamers seem to fall into one of two categories regarding AI’s evolving impact on player experiences. For example, some may feel discouraged when AI characters “learn” from interactions and become more formidable opponents.

“For instance, if a game has AI characters that learn from each human player they interact with, those AI characters can eventually become better than any human player can be, which is frustrating for some,” he said. “On the other hand, there are players who see AI as a tool for their own learning: as AI players get better and better, they also learn from the AI’s moves, which improves their playing. One famous example of this was the game ‘Go.’”

Currently, professional Go players are increasingly incorporating AI programs into their training regimens. This enables them to accelerate their learning by studying AI-generated strategies. However, this has sparked a debate over whether AI could be undermining the essence of Go.

Critics argue that players are now merely memorizing AI-developed tactics, which could compromise the game’s inherent creativity and spontaneity.

Long heralded as a paragon of complexity and nuance, Go has captivated players with its endless possibilities and unpredictable gameplay. Yet as players increasingly turn to AI for guidance, a homogenization of strategy appears to be emerging, potentially reducing the game to a mere exercise in memory.

Da Silva also touched upon the potential of reinforcement learning to create dynamic gaming environments that adapt based on player behavior. “Game developers can harness this adaptive technology to up the ante as players progress, thereby providing ongoing challenges and rewards,” he added.

AI-driven games differ fundamentally from traditional games, especially in gameplay and user engagement. Da Silva believes the underlying theme is that AI offers the potential to create more expressive, dynamic, and personalized games.

From expert systems to machine learning: the evolution of AI in gaming

The truth is that AI has been used in gaming for a long time in the form of rules-based expert systems, which operate on the principle of “if this, then that.” When these systems are at play, the game designer is “God” – in other words, the creators of a game pre-define the “box” in which the game operates.

“Machine learning is different in that when it is used, there is no ‘box,'” Da Silva continued. “The game can evolve and change in whatever direction the data takes it. So the more that someone interacts with a game that employs machine learning in its core mechanics, the more personalized their player journey becomes. The game’s environment adapts to the data that only you provide it, so that the player journey is more unique to your experience. In a way, it makes games more like life.”

Further discussing the technology, Da Silva suggested that gaming can demystify the complex ‘deep tech’ behind AI, making it more accessible. He sees this playing out in two distinct ways in the industry: 1) enabling users to interact with the technology, and 2) helping them understand it.

“Providing accessibility to the understanding of how this tech works, however, is another matter. When you use ChatGPT or Midjourney, you might know that AI is the technology that is powering what you’re doing, but there’s no straightforward, clear way to learn about how it actually works. That’s why we created AI Arena – as a way for people to easily break through this knowledge barrier and learn more about how AI actually works,” Da Silva emphasized.

The game uses machine learning as one of its core mechanics, in that your AI fighters learn how to battle their opponents from players. But as players train their AI fighters, they also learn about the kinds of inputs that their AIs need to learn. So, in a way, AI Arena is a bit of a “trojan horse” for learning about how machine learning works. Da Silva noted that people who play this game are subconsciously educating themselves – and having fun.

Beyond the widespread discussion about large language models, Da Silva pointed out that generative art models are becoming increasingly popular for creating in-game assets, thereby reducing development costs.

Personalization: The next frontier in AI and gaming

He explained that the next frontier is AI models that personalize the player’s journey. While no specific set of tools can accomplish this right now, the ultimate goal is to create games that adapt to individual play styles in real time.

Given AI’s impact across various industries, and its emerging role in gaming, Da Silva is optimistic about its potential to improve public understanding and perception. “Our hope with AI Arena is to educate people about machine learning so that they understand it and become less fearful of it – so that they know that it isn’t as scary as it’s often made out to be,” he added.

Interestingly, for AI Arena, though, it does not use LLMs. Rather, the primary technique the company uses is called imitation learning: someone demonstrates something to the AI model, and then the model learns to behave like the demonstration. This leads to uniquely strong bonds between players and their AI characters.

It’s almost like a parent-child relationship – you’re imparting your skills to your character, and the character starts to become more and more like you, according to Da Silva. It becomes a digital representation of yourself in an authentic way.

Challenges and complexities: AI’s rocky road in game development

Of course, like any other technology, integrating AI into gaming comes with its challenges. Da Silva mentioned that one thing that is common throughout the industry has to do with how AI is applied in game design.

“There are a lot of domain-specific things that you need to understand in order to apply machine learning properly – for instance, you can’t use machine learning models that work in financial markets in games as an “out-of-the-box” solution. It takes a lot of understanding about the gaming environment to make models that work for specific use cases. Of course, this struggle only applies to game developers who are trying to apply machine learning in a novel way in their games – it doesn’t apply to people who are using APIs,” he explained.

Another challenge, he explained,  is that when creating a new type of game (like AI Arena), there is an education component on what the game is and how it works.

“There’s some extra explaining that has to happen in order for people to understand AI Arena, for example: that yes, it is a fighter game, and yes it is a strategy game, but it also has components that are completely new and different. We’re looking forward to continuing to explore building in this space,” he concluded.

The gaming landscape is undeniably evolving at an astonishing pace, and AI sits at the heart of this transformation. AI is not just a gimmick in modern gaming, but a profound tool for enhancing user experience, creating more complex narratives, and even providing educational value.

With projects like AI Arena, the industry is taking its first steps toward an interactive future where gaming is not just a pastime but a platform for deeper understanding and individual growth. Whether it’s through adaptive mechanics that adjust to each player’s style, or by fostering a unique bond between players and their AI characters, the future of AI in gaming looks promising. However, as with any pioneering technology, it is not without its challenges. The onus is on game developers to understand the nuances and complexities of machine learning for its effective implementation in the gaming universe.

As we look forward to new innovations, it is clear that AI isn’t just changing the game; it’s redefining what games can be.

The post How AI is changing the gaming experience – from players to developers to education appeared first on TechWire Asia.

Zuckerberg believed the metaverse was the answer to work-from-home fatigue during the pandemic. He felt that the metaverse would serve as a platform for users to escape reality,  yet remain productive. When it was launched, one of the earliest demos was of his avatar speaking to co-workers in the metaverse.

Soon, everyone wanted to be a part of the metaverse. Other tech companies started pouring in millions to develop their own metaverse platforms. Some companies even took to enhancing their digital worlds to cater directly to entertainment purposes. Fashion brands like Nike and Adidas started selling digital apparel in the metaverse, which users would buy – with real currency – for their avatars.

Real estate in the metaverse reached new heights as well. Brands were competing to have the best design and spot in the metaverse to attract more users. Decentraland, a 3D virtual world browser-based platform like the metaverse held the first ever virtual concert. However, all the hype was slowly fading.

To fully experience the metaverse, a user would need to invest in VR headsets. While there are many varieties available, the prices were not really affordable to the masses. Platforms like Decentraland and The Sandbox, another immersive experience platform, soon reported huge drops in users. According to reports, data from DappRadar in October 2022 suggests metaverse platforms Decentraland and The Sandbox each have fewer than 1,000 “daily active” users, despite US$1 billion valuations.

Today, the metaverse is nowhere near achieving these goals. In fact, apart from being used as an entertainment platform, there isn’t really much one can do in the metaverse. McKinsey predicts that the metaverse has the potential to generate up to US$ 5 trillion in value by 2030 and is too big for companies to ignore.

Unfortunately, companies are now moving away from the metaverse and are in favor of generative AI tools. As the metaverse would end up being like an entertainment platform for employees, more companies are switching their focus to generative AI investments that not only come with promises of improved productivity but are also a lot less expansive than investing in the metaverse.

Metaverse: From entertainment to education

While the metaverse use cases continue to flow toward the entertainment platform, there are some plans to use it for education. Several Asian nations are already planning use cases for the metaverse to boost education services.

According to Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs for Meta, metaverse technologies have the potential to transform school lessons, bring teachers and students together remotely in shared spaces, enhance vocational training and create new opportunities for lifelong learning.

“For most of us, learning is social — we learn from and with others, and from each other’s experiences. It’s about interaction and discussion as much as it is about absorbing facts. Academic studies have found that VR can positively improve comprehension, knowledge retention, student engagement, attention span and motivation. I think that’s something we all intuitively understand. It is so much easier to remember doing something than being told something,” said Clegg in a blog post.

South Korea, which was among the first to invest in the metaverse, initially had plans to develop government use cases for the platform. The country invested US$177.1 million in a move it hoped could provide a blueprint for others to follow.

South Korea is funding 40,000 professionals and 220 companies specializing in metaverse technology. They’re already off to a great start with the launch of Metaverse Seoul, the first virtual public administration platform in the world. However, according to a recent survey by the Korean Information Society Development Institute, only 4.2% of South Koreans have regularly used metaverse services.

But that isn’t slowing the country’s mission. The Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea is being transformed into a “metaversity”. The university plans to digitize classrooms in the metaverse and offer courses in cyberspace. The university has also invested US$300,000 in equipment and program development for students and allocated another US$500,000 to create metaverse classrooms.

Meanwhile in Japan’s N and S high schools, the largest online high schools in the country, more than 6,000 students learn in virtual reality (VR) using Meta Quest 2 headsets. Their teachers report that this enhances the learning experience and enables students to nurture social skills even when they are physically far away. A survey on VR participation showed a satisfaction rate of more than 98%.

While it remains to be seen how this can be applied to other use cases in the future, for now, the metaverse has found itself a key education platform and not just another entertainment site.

As Clegg puts it, “Metaverse technologies have the potential to transform education. It’s happening right now, but realizing the potential in the years ahead will require educators and policymakers to grasp the opportunities these technologies present.”

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The Singapore-based edtech company is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to bridge the gaps present in traditional education systems.

As some nations display cautious or even skeptical attitudes toward using AI-powered chatbots in education, Singapore stands out among other APAC countries by actively testing AI implementations to enhance learning experiences for students and educators through personalized learning, automatic exam grading, and immediate feedback on coding assignments.

Education is a dynamic field, constantly transforming to align with an increasingly digital world.

Singapore’s edtech firm, Geniebook, is a leader in this innovation. It has created an AI-based platform that adapts the educational journey to fit students’ diverse needs and preferences.

What is wrong with traditional learning methods?

Traditional education, especially in enrichment centers, typically adheres to a uniform curriculum, which might not consider each student’s unique strengths and improvement areas. This approach can result in learning gaps, a challenge noted by Geniebook’s co-founder and CEO, Zhizhong Neo.

Neo states, “The primary motivator for creating Geniebook was to bridge this gap by catering to each student’s personalized learning needs, often overlooked in traditional settings.”

GenieSmart, the heart of Geniebook’s solution, utilizes AI and machine learning to tailor educational content to the needs of each student dynamically. The solution can adapt the focus and difficulty of subjects based on a thorough analysis of a student’s performance, drawing on nearly a million data points. GenieSmart can alter question complexity to encourage engagement and ensure subject mastery based on a student’s performance in a specific area.

The solution also boasts an AI-powered recommendation feature that predicts a student’s score in 30 days, using historical academic data, the performance of similar students, and mastery of individual topics. These predictions help curate question sets that are most likely to enhance performance.

In collaboration with A*STAR, GenieSmart draws from a database of over 300,000 questions, constantly updated to match the latest syllabus set by Singapore’s Ministry of Education for primary and secondary students, covering English, math, and science. Geniebook’s data team is currently assessing the effectiveness of GenieSmart.

Human touch still matters

Despite the use of AI, Geniebook’s method still values the role of human teachers.

For instance, the GenieAsk system offers students real-time access to human educators for doubts or clarifications. Students receive initial solutions and explanations after completing GenieSmart worksheets before a human educator reviews structured responses for a comprehensive grading. This balance of AI and human interaction maximizes the benefits of both.

The platform also features gamification elements based on principles of behavioral science. For instance, the Bubble Store rewards tasks with digital tokens called Bubbles, which can be exchanged for over 5,000 rewards.

The platform has undergone a recent makeover, introducing a darker color scheme to minimize eye strain and navigation menus that are easier to use. It also sends motivational messages to students.

AI enhancements in education

Geniebook aims to further personalize its platform by integrating additional AI features, like an instant essay grader. According to Neo, such enhancements and existing features will help create a more individualized learning path.

“Students can work on tailored questions, attend in-depth classes, and ask follow-up questions, all within the same platform, in any order they wish,” says Neo.

As Geniebook rolls out new features, its primary focus remains consistent: to assist students on their educational journey and, hopefully, beyond.

Neo concludes, “The ability to learn quickly and adapt will remain essential for our children’s success. We’re proud to offer a platform that allows students to take control and accelerate their learning.”

Singaporean governments supporting AI in education

This development represents another significant stride for Singapore, a nation known for its government’s persistent support for AI. Singapore’s government always operates with a clear rationale. They have pinpointed three significant benefits of integrating AI into education: enabling adaptive learning, streamlining exam grading, and delivering advanced feedback on coding assignments.

Singapore is eager to embrace adaptive learning, a method that accommodates diversity in students’ interests and abilities. By embedding AI into its online learning platform, Singapore ensures a personalized educational experience for each student. This approach allows for efficient pace management, catering to learners at all speeds.

The second advantage is quick and efficient exam grading, reducing the manual workload and the potential for human error. AI tools can automate this process, providing timely and effective feedback.

Lastly, AI enables comprehensive feedback on coding assignments, an improvement over traditional systems that only assess the correctness of coding scripts.

Despite ongoing global debates, Singapore is progressing with its plan to incorporate AI into its education system. The objective is to equip its workforce by 2030 with the necessary skills to support an AI-driven economy and to stimulate the development of innovative AI products and services.

While Singapore is expanding AI’s role in education, specialists and authorities emphasize that technology will never entirely replace the vital role of teachers in nurturing and mentoring students.

Teachers are more than mere knowledge conduits. They foster, inspire, and stimulate youthful curiosity while providing essential human interaction and support as young people grow and find their way in the world. These are roles that AI cannot fulfill.

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Ransomware protection should be a prerogative for organizations today, especially with the increasing number of cyberattacks taking place. While most organizations have implemented a variety of cybersecurity measures to deal with threats, cybercriminals are still finding ways to get past them and wreaking havoc on businesses.

Today, cybercriminals are going after every business in every industry. Be it the financial or manufacturing sector, the healthcare or the oil and gas industry, these companies continue to be continuously targeted. In fact, Sophos’ State of Cybersecurity 2023 report highlights that with 94% of organizations experiencing a cyberattack of some form in the last year, all companies – regardless of size or revenue – should assume they will be a target in 2023. As such, organizations in these industries continue to invest heavily in ransomware protection to improve their cybersecurity.

Interestingly, according to a report by Sophos, the education sector reported the highest number of ransomware attacks in 2022. The State of Ransomware in Education 2023 found that over the past year, 79% of higher educational organizations surveyed reported being hit by ransomware, while 80% of lower educational organizations surveyed were targeted—an increase from 64% and 56% in 2021, respectively.

The education sector has long been a goldmine for cybercriminals. Not only are education institutions lacking ransomware protection, but the amount of data available is also heavily in demand on the dark web. This is why the sector reported one of the highest rates of ransom payment with more than half (56%) of higher educational organizations paying and nearly half (47%) of lower educational organizations paying the ransom.

But there is a problem with this. When organizations pay the ransom, it also significantly increases recovery costs for both higher and lower educational organizations. Recovery costs (excluding any ransoms paid) for higher educational organizations that paid the ransom were US$1.31 million when paying the ransom versus US$980,000 when using backups. For lower educational organizations, the average recovery costs were US$2.18 million when paying the ransom versus US$1.37 million when not paying.

An easy target for cybercriminals

Paying the ransom also lengthened recovery times for victims. For higher educational organizations, 79% of those that used backups recovered within a month, while only 63% of those that paid the ransom recovered within the same timeframe. For lower educational organizations, 63% of those that used backups recovered within a month versus just 59% of those that paid the ransom.

“While most schools are not cash-rich, they are very highly visible targets with immediate widespread impact in their communities. The pressure to keep the doors open and respond to calls from parents to ‘do something’ likely leads to pressure to solve the problem as quickly as possible without regard for cost. Unfortunately, the data doesn’t support that paying ransoms resolves these attacks more quickly, but it is likely a factor in victim selection for the criminals,” said Chester Wisniewski, field CTO, of Sophos.

The report also stated that the root causes of ransomware attacks in the education sector were similar to those across all sectors. However, there was a significantly greater number of ransomware attacks involving compromised credentials for both higher and lower educational organizations (37% and 36% respectively versus 29% for the cross-sector average).

Additional key findings from the report include:

• Exploits and compromised credentials accounted for more than three-fourths (77%) of ransomware attacks against higher educational organizations; these root causes accounted for more than two-thirds (65%) of attacks against lower educational organizations.
• The rate of encryption stayed about the same for higher educational organizations (74% in 2021 versus 73% in 2022) but increased from 72% to 81% across lower educational organizations during the past year.
• Higher educational organizations reported a lower rate of using backups than the cross-sector average (63% versus 70%). This is the third lowest rate of backup use across all sectors. Lower educational organizations, on the other hand, had a slightly higher rate of using backups than the global average (73%).

“Abuse of stolen credentials is common across sectors for ransomware criminals, but the lack of adoption of multifactor authentication (MFA) technology in the education sector makes them even more at risk of this method of compromise. Like the U.S. federal government’s initiative to mandate all agencies use MFA, it is time for schools of all sizes to employ MFA for faculty, staff and students. It sets a good example and is a simple way to avoid many of these attacks from getting in the door,” added Wisniewski.

The need for ransomware protection

As universities, colleges, schools and other learning institutes continue to be targeted, having adequate ransomware protection is key. Apart from backup and recovery capabilities, Sophos also recommends the education sector strengthen its defensive shield with security tools that defend against the most common attack vectors. This includes endpoint protection with strong anti-exploit capabilities to prevent exploitation of vulnerabilities, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to thwart the abuse of compromised credentials.

The education sector should also consider investing in adaptive technologies that respond automatically to attacks, disrupting adversaries and buying defenders time to respond. There should also be considerations for 24/7 threat detection, investigation and response, whether delivered in-house or by a specialist Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provider.

Apart from that, ransomware protection can also be achieved through optimizing attack preparation, including making regular backups, practicing recovering data from backups and maintaining an up-to-date incident response plan. Learning institutes should also maintain good security hygiene, including timely patching and regularly reviewing security tool configurations.

The State of Ransomware 2023 survey polled 3,000 IT/cybersecurity leaders in organizations with between 100 and 5,000 employees, including 400 from the education sector, across 14 countries in the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. This includes 200 from lower education (up to 18 years) and 200 from higher education (above 18 years) and both public and private sector education providers.

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Since its inception, corporate universities have been an effective model for businesses to ingrain the value of learning among employees even after they graduate from educational institutions. More importantly, McKinsey reports businesses are acutely aware of the importance of learning in today’s modern business environment  — especially with the chatter surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) replacing traditional roles. 

When pioneers such as General Motors and General Electric started offering standardized in-house training programs about 100 years ago, they focused on imparting lower-level, day-to-day skills. 

In the 1900s, it would have been fanciful to imagine the full-fledged academics that would emerge in later decades — but corporate universities today have made their way into the 21st century. Think McDonald’s Hamburger University or true learning institutions for global corporations such as Apple, Google, Intel, and many more. 

???? Did you know Gen Z actually hates working from home?

You might assume that young professionals would be at the forefront of the push for remote work, but they’re actually the ones who are craving time in the office the most, @akiito7 writes. ????https://t.co/43ZfP61HYC

— Insider Business (@BusinessInsider) July 13, 2022

Do Gen Z prefer corporate universities? 

Those born between 1999 and 2010 have different needs. As a generation shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, and most recently, COVID-19, they entered the workforce at an unprecedented time — most current entry-level talent has only ever worked remotely or in hybrid settings, according to Forbes. 

Recent survey results, however, show that this generation of workers is eager to return back to the office. The biggest reason for this is physical interaction, which is where corporate universities or campus offices come into play.

Here are some of the biggest benefits businesses and employees enjoy when they establish a corporate university:

• Increased talent retention: Corporate universities increase potential employee retention by providing them with the chance to learn new skills and stay updated with industry trends.

• Attract top talent: Corporate universities help attract top talent by showcasing the company’s commitment to the professional development of its staff — a win-win combination for both employer and employee.
• Reinforces culture: A corporate university aligns with the brand and culture and helps solidify them across employees.
• Supports innovation: Corporate universities are breeding grounds for new thoughts and ideas since their structure fosters natural discussion and collaboration among students.

Googleplex, Apple University, Disney University: Six iconic corporate universities for employees

1. Google’s Googleplex

Googleplex — Google’s Mountain View complex — might be the closest a corporate university has been to a traditional university experience. 

Here, the magic of Google’s corporate learning happens. Employees can:

• Explore spontaneous interactions with each other as learners
• Enjoy the campus’ architecture, which embodies Google’s soul —made of its innovative brand and groundbreaking culture
• Spend up to 20% of the work week on pet projects that uplift their ambition to stratospheric levels

“We’ve always worked with people who were a mix of left and right brain,” says Clive Wilkinson, who designed Googleplex.

“But engineers are very left brain. They might work in teams, but they require a high level of concentration; they sit in front of the computer and crunch formulas in the most extraordinary way.” 

Despite the fun, “it’s a very demanding work culture,” Andrew Laing of DEGW, a company that has done workplace research studies with other technology companies such as Micro­soft, told Metropolis. 

“It’s designed almost as a living environment — it’s much more like being at a university than being in a conventional work environment.”

2. Deloitte University

During the 2008 recession, few tech companies were comfortable taking huge risks — but former Global CEO of Deloitte Barry Salzberg chose to move forward with two of the biggest investments in the company’s history.

One of them was Deloitte’s multi-million dollar learning facility, Deloitte University (DU). 

Launched in 2011, the quarter-mile-long facility sits within the beautiful natural landscape of Westlake, TX, approximately 30 miles northwest of Dallas. 

Here, programs are immersive, active, and led by Deloitte’s leaders. Outside the classroom, students are surrounded by emerging technologies so they can experience firsthand how technology is changing how we live and work.

For example, role-playing and case studies provide interactive sessions that engage learners and drive collaboration. A holographic concierge also provides directions and other information about the digital DU experience.

3. Apple University

The highly secretive Apple University, profiled in detail by the New York Times, was established by Steve Jobs in 2008 to teach staff what it meant to be an Apple employee — educating them about the company’s culture and history.

Courses are not required, only recommended, but getting new employees to enroll is rarely a problem.

A full-time faculty — including instructors, writers, and editors — create and teach the courses. 

Some faculty members come from universities like Yale, Harvard, the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford, and MIT. 

On an internal website available only to Apple staff members, employees could sign up for courses tailored to their positions and backgrounds, according to the New York Times. 

One class, for example, taught founders of recently acquired companies how to smoothly blend resources and talents into Apple. 

Another course, titled “What makes Apple, Apple”, analyzed the difference between the remote from Google’s failed TV initiative with its 78 buttons and the Apple TV remote, which has just seven buttons to teach the “less is more” approach Apple takes with most things, Guardian reported.

4. Disney University

Disney’s corporate university is the learning and development setting that teachers and students dream of  — it’s the Disneyland of education.

Although Disney University is not an accredited institution, courses are primarily designed, developed, and delivered by experienced learning professionals.

Everything here is highly personalized to the Disney brand. 

From training materials to program names, Disney University reminds everyone about Disney’s incredible success over the years. The company’s university introduces the brand when onboarding employees on their very first workday. 

Disney University offers instructor-led classroom sessions as well as e-learning and virtual classrooms. 

The company has expanded its delivery methods to accommodate Disney’s diverse and growing audience, which includes Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, and many more. 

5. Intel Network Builders University

Intel’s University includes a vast collection of online content and incorporates face-to-face technical training. The online content supports virtual learning and has a global outreach. 

It has a wealth of training content on key Intel technologies, pertinent presentations on industry trends, and the technical aspects of NAV deployments. 

This dual-delivery approach supports distance learning and outreach to our global community through an easy-to-use website. It also fosters much-needed peer-to-peer engagement through in-person, hands-on workshops, and technical webinars. 

This corporate University aims to boost the knowledge of professionals from the entire network industry. 

That explains why it’s free, available to a public audience, and focuses on Intel technologies and digital transformation.

6. Oracle University 

Oracle University is the training and certification arm of Oracle.

The company provides the following features:

• Oracle Guided Learning: Realise your cloud application’s value faster with Oracle’s Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) Oracle Guided Learning.
• Oracle Cloud Learning Subscriptions: Build expertise using your cloud applications and services, stay updated with new product releases through real-time training, and practice what you learn through hands-on labs.
• Oracle Certification: Develop in-demand skills, validate your knowledge, and showcase your expertise by earning a globally recognized Oracle Certification.

A one-year subscription to either its cloud or technology courses is US$5,000.

With so many courses to choose from, we recommend you know the role and specialization you want to have. 

If you’re interested in data science or data analytics, you’ll see loads of corporate jobs mentioning Oracle Database, one of the company’s key products.

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Less than a year after announcing that it had picked Malaysia as a location, German renewable power company Siemens Energy officially launched its first cybersecurity operations center (CSOC) in Asia Pacific. The center, located in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, is also the region’s first managed detection response (MDR) and operational technology (OT) CSOC, made to monitor, detect, and mitigate cyberthreats on critical infrastructure such as energy and utilities.

During the launch, Siemens Energy’s executive board member, Karim Amin, said that the company picked Malaysia as their choice mainly due to the extensive support received from the local government. He reckons that “Malaysia is well-positioned in the Asia-Pacific region as a regional hub for cybersecurity talent and investment.”

Karim also emphasized in his keynote address that for the energy transition to succeed, Siemens Energy must build a more mature energy value chain in the Asia-Pacific region. “Developing a resilient cybersecurity landscape is an integral part of this,” he added. In hindsight, CyberSecurity Malaysia chairman Dr. Zulkifeli Bin Mohd Zin believes that Siemens Energy selecting Malaysia as the location of its first CSOC in the Asia Pacific is a solid first step in putting the country on the map as a regional cybersecurity powerhouse.

According to Siemens Energy, the center harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) and a dedicated team of cybersecurity experts to provide monitoring, detection, and timely crisis support to secure businesses’ operating environment 24/7 and ensure operational continuity. The MDR solutions, powered by Eos.ii, an intelligent software platform, transforms vast amounts of data into intelligence that enables human analysts to defend physical and digital assets effectively.

“With the new CSOC, the company will be able to provide crucial advanced OT cybersecurity services to customers across the region and beyond, leveraging lessons learned from different use cases to continually refine its services further while remaining at the vanguard of cybersecurity trends to protect its customers proactively,” Siemens Energy stated in a statement.

When asked about investments, Karim said the Siemens Energy CSOC in Malaysia is projected to have an inflow of more than RM10 million in the next two to three years and up to RM15 to RM20 million over the next five years. On top of capital investments, Siemens Energy will also collaborate with a local university, University Tenaga Nasional, to train young local talents with the skill sets and tools necessary to become cybersecurity professionals.

The move by Siemens Energy is a timely one considering how the energy sector has been the leading target for cybercriminals, with an uptick in both attempted and successful attacks since the prime days of the pandemic and remote working. The sector relies on inherently complex and distributed infrastructure, meaning there is a large ‘surface area’ for an attack. It is also considered a late digital adapter with a relative lack of cybersecurity expertise.

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Along with “an advanced IT infrastructure, strong government support and IP protection laws,” KPMG reports that Singapore has traditionally been considered to be home to “a deep pool of talent.” But that status might now be in doubt as the global shortage of skilled IT workers becomes more pronounced in the island state.

The 2022 Global Tech Trends survey from digital infrastructure company Equinix found that digital leaders in Singapore have serious reservations about staff retention and recruitment. Well over half (64%) of business technology decision-makers here state a shortage of workers with IT skills to be one of the biggest risks facing their industry.

One of the key barriers is the speed at which the technology scene is evolving, developing faster than organizations can source and retain talent with the right skill sets needed not just for today’s innovations, but equipped with the abilities to adapt to future requirements. Companies, Equinix among them, are looking to bring in more diverse talent “through alternative recruitment drives”.

This presents a unique opportunity for IT workers who have witnessed mass layoffs or voluntary separation schemes decimating the tech industry, to step into those gaps and be retrained with additional skills and development opportunities, with the potential to fast-forward their career advancement. By the same token, tech firms offering these personal development opportunities will likewise be in a better position to attract top-tier tech talent.

To that end, the vast majority (87%) of Singapore businesses surveyed in the 2022 Global Tech Trends Survey are reskilling IT workers to plug those needs.

The findings come on the heels of Slack releasing its newest Leadership and the War for Talent research, which found that one in two Singaporean workers reported feeling burnt out in the past 12 months due to the uncertain macroeconomic climate, poor or uninspired leadership, and the emergence of the ‘quiet quitting’ phenomenon at work.

Meanwhile, 42% of Singapore IT decision-makers are complementing their workforce with recruits from unrelated sectors, but more (62%) are reskilling workers from similar industries. The biggest talent pools for reskilled staff are coming from administrative and business support (40%), manufacturing (23%), finance and insurance (22%), as well as those returning to the workforce after a prolonged absence (21%).

The biggest tech skills gaps for knowledgeable professionals in Singapore are in cloud computing (39%), data analysis (31%), AI/machine learning (26%) and data protection (26%), according to Equinix. Hence reskilled talent might be of direct benefit here, as workers repurposed for digital skills often end up with positions as IT technicians (46%), or cloud computing (45%) and data analysis (30%) roles.

80 of the top 100 global technology companies have a presence in Singapore, including Alibaba, Google, Grab, PayPal, and Zoom, with the city-state serving as a modern, well-equipped gateway to  Asia’s broader $26 trillion market and 2.2 billion middle-class consumers. The Singaporean tech scene is possibly the most important innovation ecosystem in the region, and so the challenges facing it are among the most critical. The issues facing it, according to IT leaders, include retaining current talent, adapting to workers’ shifting expectations around acceptable working conditions, and of course – the pay and compensation packages to remunerate employees.

Industries are moving to forward-looking alternatives to recruitment, such as working directly with higher education and apprenticeship programs. Companies mainly explore collaborative training programs with higher education institutes (46%) and offer student internships (37%), but many also take part in university career fairs (32%) and partner on degree apprenticeships (32%) these days.

Companies like Equinix are increasingly investing in upskilling initiatives like its career transition programs, designed to grow talent pools by drawing candidates from adjoining career paths with the necessary crossover skills. Equinix also partnered with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Management University (SMU) to offer sustainability scholarships to students, incentivizing them with internship and employment opportunities.

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