AI’s arrival at work reshaping employers’ hunt for talent
saceditor
PREDICTIONS of imminent AI-driven mass unemployment are likely overblown, but employers will seek workers with different skills as the technology matures, a top executive at global recruiter ManpowerGroup told AFP at Paris’s Vivatech trade fair. The world’s third-largest staffing firm by revenue ran a startup contest at Vivatech in which one of the contenders was building systems to hire out customizable autonomous AI “agents”, rather than humans. Their service was reminiscent of a warning last month from Dario Amodei, head of American AI giant Anthropic, that the technology could wipe out half of entry-level white-collar jobs within one to five years. For ManpowerGroup, AI agents are “certainly not going to become our core business any time soon,” the company’s Chief Innovation Officer Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic said. “If history shows us one thing, it’s most of these forecasts are wrong.” An International Labour Organization (ILO) report published in May found that around “one in four workers across the world are in an occupation with some degree of exposure” to generative AI models’ capabilities. “Few jobs are currently at high risk of full automation,” the ILO added. But the UN body also highlighted “rapid expansion of AI capabilities since our previous study” in 2023, including the emergence of “agentic” models more able to act autonomously or semi-autonomously and use software like web browsers and email. Soft skills Chamorro-Premuzic predicted that the introduction of efficiency-enhancing AI tools would put pressure on workers, managers and firms to make the most of the time they will save. “If what happens is that AI helps knowledge workers save 30, 40, maybe 50 per cent of their time, but that time is then wasted on social media, that’s not an increase in net output,” he said. Adoption of AI could give workers “more time to do creative work” -- or impose “greater standardization of their roles and reduced autonomy,” the ILO said. There’s general agreement that interpersonal skills and an entrepreneurial attitude will become more important for knowledge workers as their daily tasks shift towards corralling AIs. Employers identified ethical judgement, customer service, team management and strategic thinking as top skills AI could not replace in a ManpowerGroup survey of over 40,000 employers across 42 countries published this week.
The dreadful sound of gunfire signals the tragic loss of parents for many children caught in armed conflicts. Both sides in these clashes are eager to secure victory, often without considering the lives and futures of innocent children. Their focus remains solely on defeating each other. In reality, everyone must recognize that children—innocent and uninvolved in the fighting — are the ones who truly lose their future. Ultimately, the fate of these children reflects the future of the states involved.Actually, 2024 was a year marked by the outbreak of wars and armed conflicts across the world. These conflicts left millions of people homeless and led to a rise in crime and violence. Wars and armed conflicts, indeed, posed a serious threat to global peace and stability.Those orphans suffering from the nightmares of armed conflicts are certain to face various challenges, including mental trauma, poverty, and lack of access to basic needs such as education and healthcare services. These children are often unable to enjoy their rights fully. While some are under the care of orphanages, others live with surviving family members. However, as their lives are filled with hardship, they frequently suffer from malnutrition, exposure to serious diseases, and other unexpected difficulties.Although conflicts arise from various causes, the United Nations often misses opportunities to mediate and resolve them. Armed conflicts occur mostly in Asia and Africa, as well as in other regions of the world, and show little sign of ending. These conflicts contribute to shifting power dynamics and changing geopolitics globally.Generally, wars and armed conflicts do not benefit any country. Prolonged armed conflicts lead to a growing number of orphans day by day, as many children lose their parents and family members in the violence. In addition, some children become orphans due to abandonment for various reasons. Without anyone to care for them, these children often end up facing the harsh and difficult life of war refugees. According to UNICEF estimates, there are approximately 2.2 billion children worldwide, around 150 million of whom are orphans due to armed conflicts and political crises. Among them, about 17.6 million have lost both parents.Those orphans suffering from the nightmares of armed conflicts are certain to face various challenges, including mental trauma, poverty, and lack of access to basic needs such as education and healthcare services. These children are often unable to enjoy their rights fully. While some are under the care of orphanages, others live with surviving family members. However, as their lives are filled with hardship, they frequently suffer from malnutrition, exposure to serious diseases, and other unexpected difficulties.Armed conflicts, wars, racial instability, and intense rivalries among countries often result in a generation of orphans. Losing parents due to armed conflicts is a profound tragedy. Therefore, everyone should show loving-kindness and compassion to these orphans, helping them regain their physical and mental strength — the greatest gift we can offer.Ref: GNLMPhoto: MDPI
PREDICTIONS of imminent AI-driven mass unemployment are likely overblown, but employers will seek workers with different skills as the technology matures, a top executive at global recruiter ManpowerGroup told AFP at Paris’s Vivatech trade fair.The world’s third-largest staffing firm by revenue ran a startup contest at Vivatech in which one of the contenders was building systems to hire out customizable autonomous AI “agents”, rather than humans.Their service was reminiscent of a warning last month from Dario Amodei, head of American AI giant Anthropic, that the technology could wipe out half of entry-level white-collar jobs within one to five years.For ManpowerGroup, AI agents are “certainly not going to become our core business any time soon,” the company’s Chief Innovation Officer Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic said.“If history shows us one thing, it’s most of these forecasts are wrong.” An International Labour Organization (ILO) report published in May found that around “one in four workers across the world are in an occupation with some degree of exposure” to generative AI models’ capabilities.“Few jobs are currently at high risk of full automation,” the ILO added. But the UN body also highlighted “rapid expansion of AI capabilities since our previous study” in 2023, including the emergence of “agentic” models more able to act autonomously or semi-autonomously and use software like web browsers and email.Soft skillsChamorro-Premuzic predicted that the introduction of efficiency-enhancing AI tools would put pressure on workers, managers and firms to make the most of the time they will save.“If what happens is that AI helps knowledge workers save 30, 40, maybe 50 per cent of their time, but that time is then wasted on social media, that’s not an increase in net output,” he said.Adoption of AI could give workers “more time to do creative work” -- or impose “greater standardization of their roles and reduced autonomy,” the ILO said.There’s general agreement that interpersonal skills and an entrepreneurial attitude will become more important for knowledge workers as their daily tasks shift towards corralling AIs.Employers identified ethical judgement, customer service, team management and strategic thinking as top skills AI could not replace in a ManpowerGroup survey of over 40,000 employers across 42 countries published this week.Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
Renewable energy plays a key role in the journey to net zero carbon emissions, helping to reduce the demand for fossil fuels by providing cleaner sources of energy.But as the world derives an increasing amount of its electricity from these renewable energy sources, there’s a growing need for technologies that can capture and store it.Why does renewable energy need to be stored?Renewable energy generation mainly relies on naturally-occurring factors – hydroelectric power is dependent on seasonal river flows, solar power on the amount of daylight, wind power on the consistency of the wind – meaning that the amounts being generated will be intermittent.Similarly, the demand for energy isn’t constant either, as people generally tend to use different amounts of energy at different times of the day and the year.How would storing renewable energy help to reach net zero?Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy creates clean power without producing greenhouse gases (GHGs) as a waste product. By storing and using renewable energy, the system as a whole can rely less on energy sourced from the more greenhouse-gas emitting fuels like coal, natural gas or oil.What are other benefits of storing renewable energy?A key benefit of being able to store this energy is that it helps to prevent renewable resources from going to waste.There are times when the amount of electricity being generated by renewables can exceed the amount that’s needed at the time. When this happens, some renewable generators may need to curtail their outputs in order to help the system remain ‘balanced’ – i.e. when electricity supply meets demand – meaning that an opportunity to generate clean electricity has essentially gone to waste. What technologies are used for renewable energy storage?Energy storage technologies work by converting renewable energy to and from another form of energy.These are some of the different technologies used to store electrical energy that’s produced from renewable sources: 1. Pumped hydroelectricity energy storagePumped hydroelectric energy storage, or pumped hydro, stores energy in the form of gravitational potential energy of water. When demand is low, surplus electricity from the grid is used to pump water up into an elevated reservoir. When demand increases, the water is released to flow down through turbines to a lower reservoir, producing hydroelectric power for the grid as it does so. 2. Electrochemical battery energy storageElectrochemical batteries store energy by separating positive and negative charges in rechargeable cells. Different types of electrochemical battery storage technology include:Lithium-ion battery storageGovernment and developers are investing substantially in the creation of huge lithium-ion batteries to store energy for times when supply outstrips demand. Lithium battery technologies are diverse to address custom needs for flexibility, modularity, and size, as well as being relatively inexpensive. However these batteries do degrade over time and present unique fire management challenges.The world’s largest battery energy storage system so far is Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in California. The first 300-megawatt lithium-ion battery – comprising 4,500 stacked battery racks – became operational at the facility in January 2021. Flow battery storageFlow batteries’ cells consist of two charged liquids separated by a membrane. Surplus electrical energy is used to ‘reduce’ the liquid charge state of one and ‘oxidise’ that of the other to efficiently store energy. The process is then reversed to recover electricity with low loss.This flowing reduction-oxidation operation – known as ‘redox flow’ – allows the batteries to store large amounts of energy for long durations and be cycled many times without degradation. However, they do have a relatively large project footprint. 3. Thermal and Phase Transition energy storageWhile not limited to renewable energy, storing excess energy as heat for the longer term is a huge opportunity for industry, where most of the process heat that’s used in food and drink, textiles or pharmaceuticals comes from the burning of fossil fuels.Liquifying rock or superheating sand and water mixtures can be used to store thermal energy. Thermal energy storage technologies include:Liquid-to-air transition energy storageSurplus grid electricity is used to chill ambient air to the point that it liquifies. This ‘liquid air’ is then turned back into gas by exposing it to ambient air or using waste heat to harvest electricity from the system. The expanding gas can then be used to power turbines, creating electricity as needed. Thermal sand batteriesFinnish researchers have developed and installed the world’s first fully working ‘sand battery’, which can store power for months at a time. Using low-grade sand, the device is charged up with heat made from cheap electricity from solar or wind. The sand stores the heat at around 500°C, which can then warm homes in winter when energy is more expensive. 4. Mechanical energy storageThis type of energy storage converts the potential energy of highly compressed gases, elevated heavy masses or rapidly rotating kinetic equipment.Different types of mechanical energy storage technology include:Compressed air energy storageCompressed air energy storage has been around since the 1870s as an option to deliver energy to cities and industries on demand. The process involves using surplus electricity to compress air, which can then be decompressed and passed through a turbine to generate electricity when needed. Gravity storageA ‘gravity battery’ works by using excess electrical energy from the grid to raise a mass, such as a block of concrete, generating gravitational potential energy. When electrical energy is required, the mass is lowered, converting this potential energy into power through an electric generator.Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is a type of gravity storage, since the water is released from a higher elevation to produce energy. Flywheel energy storageFlywheel energy storage devices turn surplus electrical energy into kinetic energy in the form of heavy high-velocity spinning wheels. To avoid energy losses, the wheels are kept in a frictionless vacuum by a magnetic field, allowing the spinning to be managed in a way that creates electricity when required. Pumped heat electrical storagePumped heat storage uses surplus electricity to power a heat pump that transports heat from a ‘cold store’ to a ‘hot store’ - similar to how a refrigerator works. The heat pump can then be switched to recover the energy, taking it from the hot store and placing it in the cold store. This produces mechanical work, which is used to power a generator. 5. Hydrogen electrolysisHydrogen electrolysis produces hydrogen gas by passing surplus electrical current through a chemical solution. This hydrogen gas is then compressed to be stored in underground tanks. When needed, this process can be reversed to produce electricity from the stored hydrogen.Hydrogen can be physically stored as either a gas or liquid and even adhered directly to solids. As a gas, hydrogen storage requires high-pressure tanks, while liquid hydrogen requires storage at cryogenic temperatures to prevent it boiling back into a gas. Hydrogen may also be stored on the surface of solid materials (known as adsorption), or within them (known as absorption).Ref : National Grid
NATURAL disasters, such as earthquakes, strike without warning, leaving behind devastation, loss, and trauma. Homes are destroyed, families are displaced, and lives are changed forever. In such difficult times, it becomes our moral responsibility to stand together in compassion, unity, and action.Supporting earthquake-affected communities is not just an act of kindness, it is a duty of humanity.When an earthquake occurs, the immediate needs are clear: food, water, shelter, and medical care. But beyond the initial rescue and relief, long-term support is essential. Rebuilding homes, schools, hospitals, and communities takes time and resources. Survivors also need emotional healing and mental health support as they cope with the trauma and loss.We may not all be able to go to the affected areas, but we can help in many ways.Donating to trusted organizations, volunteering, spreading awareness, and advocating for disaster preparedness can all make a difference. Even small contributions, when multiplied by the efforts of many, can bring real hope and change.Let us remember that those affected are not just statistics, they are people with dreams, families, and futures. By extending our care and support, we show them that they are not alone. In their darkest hour, our compassion can be a light.Together, we can help rebuild not just houses but lives.Let’s care, let’s support, and let’s stand in solidarity with all communities affected by earthquakes. A stronger, kinder world begins with us.Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
INSIDE a smart greenhouse in Chengdu, the capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, two robots, swiftly zipping through ridges between fields, were taking patrol training. With their high-definition cameras, these robots can snap real-time shots of crops’ growth and send images straight to the cloud.“After integrating with the DeepSeek large model, our team trained the robots through tens of thousands of images to improve their pest identification accuracy, which has exceeded 80 per cent,” said Wu Yuanqing, the robots’ developer.Once the accuracy is improved, these robots can help farmers increase their decision-making precision in planting and efficiency of agricultural production, Wu added.The rise of AI-powered agriculture in China highlights the government’s continued efforts to modernize its agricultural sector to accelerate rural revitalization, which profoundly impacts the lives of over 460 million people in rural areas.The Chinese government has introduced multiple policies to promote smart agriculture development for years. In this document for 2025, Chinese policymakers have, for the first time, identified the development of “new quality productive forces in agriculture” as a top priority.The document underscores the need to increase support for smart agriculture and calls for expanding the use of technologies such as AI, big data and low-altitude systems in agricultural production.Maoming, a well-known lychee-growing city in south China’s Guangdong Province, is a premium example of how age-old practices meet with cutting-edge technologies to create a smarter, more efficient, precision-driven local industry.In February, the city completed deploying the DeepSeek model into its local AI assistant platform, integrating more than five million data points, including a lychee disease prevention database and detailed local meteorological records.So far, 69 sets of 5G-powered Internet of Things sensors have been installed across 20 lychee-growing towns in Maoming, according to Xu Hong, an official with Maoming’s agricultural and rural affairs bureau. These facilities monitor everything from soil moisture to air temperature, generating real-time insights that allow farmers to anticipate and mitigate risks before adverse weather takes a toll.Farmers in Maoming also dived into learning and applying AI technologies in lychee cultivation. Zhang Xianfeng, a local farmer, has recently turned to an AI-powered assistant for guidance as persistent wet and chilly weather threatened Zhang’s lychee. Within seconds, the system provided a tailored management plan for her.“In the past, we relied entirely on experience to determine the flowering period of crops. Fertilizers were applied by instinct, and we often reacted too late to disease outbreaks,” Zhang said. “Now, solutions provided by AI help us tackle these challenges immediately and accurately.” — XinhuaSource: The Global New Light of Myanmar
Russia and Myanmar closely cooperate in the energy area and they are addressing expansion of this partnership, through projects in the sector of renewable energy among other things, Russian President Vladimir Putin said following talks with Prime Minister of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing."Energy is a strategic area of bilateral cooperation. Russia reliably provides required energy resources to the republic. Last year more than 90% of oil was supplied to the market of Myanmar from Russia. We are developing possibilities to cooperate in the energy sector in other areas as well, including in the use of renewable resources of energy," Putin said.The new joint statement confirms the key principles of the partnership between the two countries, the president stressed. "The issue is about further deepening of cooperation in the area of trade and investment. Last year trade turnover added around 40% and roughly amounted to $2 bln. We are ready to address expansion of mutually beneficial trade," he added.Source: TASS
