Welcome back, Amplifiers!
It’s us again! Here to share some interesting debates & news about global & local disruptions due to AI.
This Week’s Stories:
- Can Companies Justify the Trillions Poured into AI Development?
- Having an AI Boss Could Happen Soon: C-Suite AI Adaptation
- A David vs Goliath Story? AI Entrants Fight Existing Tech Giants for Market Control
- AI or Goodbye: Accenture to ‘Exit’ Staff Who Cannot Be Retrained for Age of AI
- (And More…)
Featured companies this week: Accenture, Meta.
Keep reading to get free access to our Agentic AI platform at the end!
Read more about our exhibition happening in South Korea, happening right now!
Can Companies Justify the Trillions Poured into AI Development?
AI Investment: Will the bubble pop?
AWS, Google, Meta and Microsoft increased capital spending has tripled from under $100 billion 5 years ago to nearly $300 billion in 2025. Venture capital is flooded too: Around two-thirds of US VC deals now involve AI! This surge has even bumped up US GDP growth by 1% in Q1 (Apollo Global), and Bain forecasts an estimated $0.5 trillion/year in US AI spend through the decade.
Yet returns lag: an MIT report found 95% of companies integrating AI saw no financial gain. In short, companies feel “trapped inside the bubble” as executives chase AI-driven growth.
Source: Reuters
” If AI revenues don’t materialize soon, companies could pause projects, and cloud rivals may pressure pricing to claw back excess profits. Nevertheless, most major firms will likely continue investing to avoid strategic obsolescence . The next 1-2 years will test whether this bubble yields lasting innovation or stalls after the initial hype. “
Having an AI Boss Could Happen Soon: C-Suite AI Adaptation
What’s happening within the top brass?
Michaël Bikard of INSEAD warns “Reinvention is no longer optional.” Businesses are rapidly redefining leadership as AI reshapes strategy.
A recent The National feature notes that C-suite roles now demand both technology fluency and human-centric skills. AI and data expertise are being embedded across all leadership roles. Boards worldwide (especially in the Middle East) are pressing for quick AI-driven efficiency gains. For example, 56% of CEOs report efficiency improvements from AI, but an MIT survey highlights most pilots yield no profit.
Alert! Executives face rising turnover (average CEO tenure fell to 6.8 years) as leaders juggle long term digital transformation with short-term results. The UAE (and GCC broadly) is racing ahead: it appointed a Minister for AI in 2017 and has mandated hundreds of Chief AI Officers in government. Middle East CEOs overwhelmingly feel they’ll be unviable in 10 years without AI transformation.
Source: The National News
“For now, expect continued C-suite turnover & reskilling. More firms will tie executive KPIs to AI goals and hire for tech-savvy leadership. Other markets (Europe, Asia) may take cues from the Gulf on formal AI initiatives. In the medium term, boards will likely insist on agile, innovation-ready executives. Those resisting change could find their roles redundant as AI-driven strategy becomes paramount.”
A David vs Goliath Story? AI Entrants Fight Existing Tech Giants for Market Control
What’s happening within the top brass?
Big Tech’s incumbents still dominate the market. (Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia now hold around 70% of the top-20 market cap). Hyperscalers are heavily doubling down on AI infrastructure and talent to defend their lead.
Yet Bain’s report highlights a surge of AI-first entrants: OpenAI (est. $300B valuation) & Anthropic (est. $60B) join thousands of AI startups with rich funding.
Competition now spans multiple layers: Specialized GPU clouds (CoreWeave, Nvidia AI data centers), new model builders (Mistral, Anthropic) and best-in-class AI applications (e.g. Anysphere’s AI coding tools). Even hardware (“AI phones”) and search interfaces (chatbots vs. Google) are strong competitors.
AI investment is also inflating new players. In 2024, new tech unicorns outpaced any previous year by 20 times (relative to 2014). These new players challenge on every AI stack level from infrastructure to models to apps. For example, ChatGPT-like bots are challenging Google search and even traditional browsers.
Geopolitics like US-China tech decoupling (export controls, onshoring) and emerging tech (agentic AI, quantum computing) add upheaval. Agentic AI, which autonomously executes workflows, could reshape whole industries (e.g. automating sales or logistics).
Source: Bain
“Tech is likely to fragment. Some new startups may enter the top ranks, especially in cloud and chips. Incumbents will probably double down on AI research & strategic acquisitions (e.g. of leading AI labs). Tensions could drive regional tech ecosystems (China, EU) to foster their own AI firms, so global leadership may become more distributed. For enterprise tech, legacy SaaS companies must integrate agentic AI or risk obsolescence.”
AI or Goodbye: Accenture to ‘Exit’ Staff Who Cannot Be Retrained for Age of AI
The consulting giant cut more than 11,000 jobs in the past 3 months.
CEO Julie Sweet emphasized that people who cannot be viably reskilled for AI-era skills will be “exited” on a compressed timeline.
Accenture launched an $865 million restructuring programme, citing sluggish demand for consulting projects and US government spending cuts.
Despite cuts, revenues grew 7% and net income rose 6%. But revenue growth is expected to slow to 2–5% next year. Shares have also dropped 2.7%, hitting their lowest since November 2020.
Generative AI bookings hit $5.1 billion, up from $3 billion last year. AI professionals within Accenture grew from 40,000 to 77,000 in two years.
Although layoffs continue, Accenture expects overall workforce growth, heavily skewed towards AI-skilled talent.
Source: Financial Times
“Reskilling is Non-Negotiable. Learn how to combine your existing skillset (project management, communication etc.) with digital fluency. (prompt, interpret & apply results) In short, work with AI rather than compete against it.”
Would Your Child Consult an AI Tutor? Singapore’s Education Playing Field Levelled.
The $1.4 billion private tuition industry vs AI Tutors at a fraction of the cost: Which will triumph?
AI tutors promise to level the field. With households spending an est. S$105/month on tuition (up from S$88 in 2018), low-cost AI platforms offer an accessible alternative. Early evidence (rapid user growth for Tutorly/WizzTutor) suggests strong demand for cheaper, on-demand support. Tutorly gained 1,200 free users since Jan, WizzTutor 800 users since June, and ed-tech Geniebook saw a 25% YOY jump in AI tool usage.
Parents praise this gamechanger, and some students report success using free AI help instead of costly centers. Importantly, these local tools are tailored to Singapore’s syllabus, giving them an edge over generic global chatbots.
But, caution! Educators warn that unmoderated AI help can encourage “shortcut thinking”. Experiments found some chatbots will immediately give answers if a student inputs “I don’t know”. Experts emphasize that the best AI tutors will pair technology with human insight.
Source: Channel News Asia
“AI tutoring is likely to grow rapidly in Singapore. We may see: (1) more AI tutoring startups and features in curricula, (2) eventual guidelines on AI learning tools (MOE currently only notes they’re for self study), and (3) incumbent tuition centers adopting similar tech/offering hybrid tuition/AI packages. If the “shortcut” misuse persists, educators might introduce guardrails (digital literacy or AI ethics) to ensure students still engage deeply with material.”
Singapore Poses $1 Million in Fines for Meta if Additional Action is Not Taken Against Online Impersonation Scams
Singapore is cracking down on tech platforms.
“For Singapore, the war against scams remains a top national priority. Singapore is a very attractive scam target… Dealing with a threat as insidious as scams will require a whole-of-society approach.” – Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming.
Source: The Straits Times
Under the new Online Criminal Harms Act, authorities have ordered Meta to install anti-scam measures (e.g. AI-driven facial recognition) by Sep 30 – or face fines up to S$1 million (US$776,400).
A 200% increase in government official impersonation scams, including using deepfake images of Singapore’s PM for crypto fraud, resulted in over S$126.5 million in losses. Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs says Facebook is the top vector for such scams, and warned that all platforms may face similar orders if problems persist.
Losses to impersonation scams jumped around 90% to S$126 million in early 2025. The authorities stress that, if unchecked, these scams erode public trust in government communication.
Source: Channel News Asia
“We can expect tighter tech regulation in Singapore. Meta will likely beef up its Singapore-specific compliance (e.g. faster review of government-related content). Other countries with new online harms laws (India, UK, EU) may take cues, issuing their own deadlines or fines. In tech diplomacy, platforms may face increasing fragmentation, as nations insist on local data/safety standards (supporting Bain’s note on sovereign AI efforts).”
What’s the Risk of Layoffs in 2026? (Hint: 6 in 10 Companies Plan Layoffs Next Year)
Currently, 40% of firms have already done layoffs this year and 35% expect more before year-end.
Key drivers include economic uncertainty, trade policy, and AI adoption: 35% of layoffs this year cited AI as a factor reducing staffing needs. Alarmingly, 4 in 10 companies intend to replace workers with AI by 2026. Employers say the most vulnerable employees are those with high salaries or lacking AI skills.
Over half of surveyed US firms see layoffs as “very/somewhat likely” in 2026 . Companies cite tariffs (48%) and overall economy (47%) as top risks – a sign that macroeconomic fear, not just AI, is hurting hiring.
Nearly half of employers identify workers without AI proficiency as at risk . This underscores the premium on AI literacy: jobs in data, automation, or tech-savvy roles will be safer than others. Conversely, routine or mid-level positions may be cut or automated.
Almost 40% of companies say they will deploy AI in place of some roles by 2026. This isn’t just theory – many firms have already integrated AI (e.g. for customer service bots, analytics) to streamline operations.
Source: Resume.org
“We expect continued job polarization. Demand for AI and digital skills are expected to surge, forcing universities and training programs to catch up. Governments and companies might expand reskilling initiatives/unemployment safety nets. If economic headwinds remain, actual layoffs could approach these survey figures, potentially prompting policy responses (e.g. AI taxes or guidelines on workforce impacts). Ultimately, the labor market will reflect a balance between cost-cutting automation and a recovering economy’s need for skilled workers”
Mckinsey Article: Agentic AI to Empower Advanced Industries
What makes agentic AI different from earlier waves of automation?
Agentic AI can perceive context, reason across multi-step tasks, and act independently across digital systems.
By 2030, McKinsey projects $450–650 billion in additional annual revenue and 30–50% cost savings in advanced industries.
To keep up, what must companies do? Firms must not just deploy tools but redesign workflows, talent models, governance, and data ecosystems.
But statistics caution us: While 90% of companies say they’ve adopted Gen AI, only 1% see quantitative returns. Agentic AI could be the breakthrough, but it also means experimentation is ending, and widespread operational replacement is next.
“Repetitive, rules-based tasks are most vulnerable to replacement. You should shift your focus from executor to orchestrator, building skills in AI oversight and process design. Upskilling in data literacy is required to guide AI. While advanced sectors lead adoption, others will follow. Tldr: Embrace AI as a tool to multiply your impact, not replace you.”
To read more, download the Mckinsey article here!
How You Should Adapt to the Changing Industry Landscape
In this era where AI is being regarded as the next game changer, some have questioned whether huge investments without certain guarantee is a wise choice. But regardless of whether it’ll pay off, it’s certain that right now, individuals with AI relevant skills are highly sought after. People who are able to freely integrate into their lives to simplify work processes will gain the most in the near future.
However, blindly trusting AI is tantamount to replacing yourself. It’s important to work alongside instead of working under AI; Guide and point AI in the best direction to help yourself using critical thinking skills and smart prompting! (We’ll teach you how to prompt AI effectively in the next section…)
If you are…
Currently Looking to Reskill Yourself for the Changing Job Market…
Introducing Amplified Human’s Upskilling Agent:
It helps working professionals like you adapt to AI disruptions in the workforce.
What is the Upskilling Agent?
It is an AI agent on our Amplified Human platform that takes your resume, the role you want to work in, then it benchmarks against industry standards, collects relevant information, and reports back to you with a personalized upskilling roadmap, a skill gap analysis and an actionable progress timeline.
Why is our Upskilling Agent better than what other companies are doing?
Ours goes further by aligning training suggestions with your existing strengths, desired career path, and the actual requirements of the role you want, as well as structuring a progress timeline with checkpoints, so you can see measurable advancements towards your target role.
Here’s How To Try it For Yourself:
Go to amplifiedhuman.biz → Upskilling Intake Specialist → Start Chat
Here’s a bonus video for those who are interested in how to use our Upskilling Agent! (on our platform!)
Moving on… We’ll be exploring how to effectively prompt AI to get comprehensive outputs!
Epic Prompt Card | Executive Risk & Talent Monitoring
The function of the prompt block is to leverage AI to help C-suite professionals ensure regulatory compliance and predict AI disruptions.
You can expect to receive 3 things:
First, top-5 risks & alerts across AI and compliance, aligned with executive reporting standards.
Second, a heatmap of highest-risk areas, showing where exposures cluster by severity and geography.
And last, a set of suggested next actions executives can take to address the surfaced risks, along with custom KPI tracking.
Free Prompt Block for You to Try for Yourself
Copy and paste the text below into the Amplified Human Platform / Any LLM (e.g., ChatGPT) to receive a decision-ready output. Replace the [Square brackets] with your own information!
ROLE: Executive Risk & Talent Sentinel
OBJECTIVE: Summarize top-5 real-time risks/alerts in AI, compliance, and talent into decision-ready snapshots for C-suite and board reporting.
INPUTS: REGION [Your region], BUSINESS_UNIT [Your industry in relevance to your work], CURRENT_AI_USE [What you're using AI for].
FORMAT:
• Board-format table: Risk Area | Alert Description | Severity | Business Impact | Owner
• Heatmap: Highlighting highest risk concentrations
• Suggested Next Actions: Prioritized steps for execs
• KPI Tracking: Board-Ready Risk Snapshot Accuracy – [Set your own accuracy percentage]
REFUSAL: Do not generate hypothetical risks without basis in current AI, compliance, or talent trends.
SPECIAL CONTEXT: Highlight how [Choose: Singapore/Asia AI regulations] are redefining compliance exposures and prompting shifts in C-suite priorities.
Other than on the website, you can also try it on any LLM on our App for FREE!
Next… We’ll combine multiple agents that are in charge of separate tasks into one long workflow to generate one output package!
How to Build a Resilience Roadmap Automation Workflow in Amplified Human (Non-Technical Guide)
What You’re Building:
A multi-agent workflow that empowers mid-career professionals to secure their next career move in AI-disrupted organizations. This workflow creates a personalized multi-year upskilling and career transition roadmap based on each user’s current skills, market benchmarks, and AI readiness to future-proof their roles and navigate transformation.
This section outlines the workflow setup and describes the role of each AI agent involved.
The Agent Blueprint:
Agent 1: Skills & Feedback Importer
Collects a user’s skill profile, learning history, and recent feedback from connected systems such as LinkedIn URL or their CV.
Agent 2: Market Benchmarking Agent
Compares the user’s current skillset against market peers and role benchmarks. Identifies emerging skills and in-demand competencies within the user’s domain.
Agent 3: AI Gap Analysis Agent
Performs a detailed gap analysis between the user’s skills and AI-augmented role requirements. Highlights areas of vulnerability and opportunity.
Agent 4: Transition Pathway Generator
Uses AI insights to create multiple career transition or upskilling pathways aligned with the user’s goals, including potential roles, courses, and certifications.
Build The AI Agents and Workflow In:
amplifiedhuman.ai → AI Agent (Build Multi-Agents) → Workflow → “Create Workflow”
*The above is a high level overview. Our team can help provide detailed recommendations for agent instruction design, knowledge base, and dashboard output.
*This site is only available to the Amplified Community. Register a free account on the App!
AH Team Spotlight: We’ve reached South Korea! Ready for the Gyeonggi Startup Summit 2025!
Amplified Human CEO, Clarence Khoh has touched down in Korea! On 1 Oct 2025, he’ll be sharing about exclusive AI insights and how Amplified Human will transform the workforce by helping HR professionals lighten their workload and streamline operations! And on 2 Oct from 10.30am – 2pm, catch him at the Amplified Human booth!
This is our booth location!
For those in Korea, we hope to see you at our booth! And for others, we hope you continue to watch us closely through your screens and support us!
Outside of work, Clarence Khoh is always down for a meetup with like-minded business enthusiasts! If you’re passionate about your industry, or just want to chat, drop him a dm before he leaves Korea!
To Summarise This Week’s News (if you skipped to this section):
This week’s news talks about global and local AI disruptions. The need to reskill is urgent; you shouldn’t wait to become AI literate before your industry deems it a necessary skill! Work with AI instead of thinking of it as something that will replace you; Let it amplify your own skillset to become more valuable in the job market! Importantly, be aware of where the industry is heading to; don’t trust in AI blindly.
How you can get started:
One way to upskill in using AI is to improve your AI prompting skills to maximize your tokens and receive outputs that are as accurate and comprehensive as possible.
Listen to what Llewellan Vance, our Strategic Director, has to share about prompting AI effectively during an AI Masterclass that he presented to MBA students, featured on our LinkedIn post!
If you’re still reading, we hope we’ve added some value to your day! Subscribe and repost our newsletter if you think it’s worth a read!
See you next week for Edition 8 of The Amplified Times!
Get Started with Amplified Human | Download the app: [iOS] [Android]
Your Weekly AI Brain Juice,
Amplified Human Team
#AI #Security #AgenticAI #Enterprise #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #Technology #AIGovernance
