Empathy & care are human traits that will thrive in a future with AI: OCBC Head of HR

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept of the future. It is actively changing the way we work and shaping our careers.

As we enter the age of AI, traditional career paths are shifting, and the skills required to thrive in the workforce are evolving. The next generation of professionals must navigate this disruption and identify ways to stand out.

However, unique human value remains entirely irreplaceable and even more important for both employers and employees, according to Lee Hwee Boon, OCBC Group's Head of Human Resources, in her speech to a 2026 graduating cohort at Republic Polytechnic.

By Lee Hwee Boon

Good afternoon.

Principal, Deputy Principal, Director, respected faculty, proud parents and families, and especially the graduates of the Class of 2026.

Thank you for inviting me to share this moment with you. It really is a privilege to be standing here today.

Graduation ceremonies are always a little emotional. They mark the end of late nights, deadlines, exams, and submissions — but more importantly, they signal the beginning of a new chapter. One where the choices are yours, the paths are less defined, and the learning becomes very real.

And the timing could not be more interesting.

You are stepping into the world of work in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

AI: Fearful or full of possibility?

Let me start with the question I’m sure many of you, and probably some parents too, are thinking about: “Will AI take my job?”

It’s a fair question. I ask it myself from time to time.

A thoughtful perspective comes from Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu. He reminds us that while AI has made remarkable progress, it still has clear limitations. It struggles with context. It lacks true judgment. It cannot yet reason across complex, layered problems the way humans do.

Yes, the technology is improving rapidly. But turning technological capability into real world impact is much harder than it looks.

So no, we are not on the brink of entire professions disappearing overnight.

What is changing, however, is how work gets done.

AI is already excellent at helping with specific tasks — analysing data, summarising documents, synthesising research, even writing code. It takes care of parts of the work so that humans can focus on what really matters.

From searching, to prompting, to doing

To understand this shift, think about how technology has shaped the way we work over time.

When search engines first became mainstream, the important question was: “What do I search?”

Then came tools like ChatGPT, and suddenly the question became: “How do I phrase the right prompt?”

But today, as AI becomes part of everyday work, the question has changed again.

It’s no longer just about searching or prompting.

The real question is now: “What do I do?”

I’ve been a judge for our Frankpreneur Programme, an OCBC’s undergraduate internship, for several years.

In 2024, teams started mentioning AI in their proposals, but mostly at the edges. It sounded interesting, but it wasn’t central.

In 2025, something clicked. AI wasn’t just mentioned — it was woven right into the solutions.

The thinking was sharper. The ideas were better connected to real user needs. The wireframes looked professional and thoughtful.

What changed wasn’t access to technology.

What changed was how students thought about the problem.

We had added a design thinking coach to each team, alongside their business mentor, and that made all the difference.

Design thinking encourages you to start with people, not technology.

It forces you to ask: Who are we solving for? What do they really need? What are the consequences of our decisions?

It reminds us that doing is not about pushing buttons.

Doing requires judgment.

It requires empathy.

It requires understanding nuance, context, and people.

Those are things AI cannot replace.

The shift from jobs to skills

When I first started working, careers were described in terms of jobs.

Later, we talked about roles.

Today, what truly matters are skills — particularly how well you combine technical skills with human ones.

Work has become more complex and more interdependent.

AI can generate possibilities.

But humans ask the better questions.

AI can recommend options.

But teams decide what will actually work.

That’s why collaboration, trust, and leadership without authority matter more than ever.

The leaders you will admire, and hopefully become, won’t lead by control.

They will coach.

They will empower.

They will listen.

And they will succeed not because they know everything, but because they bring people together.

What this means for you

So what does this mean for you, as graduates standing at the beginning of your careers?

Let me offer two pieces of advice — lessons I’ve learnt the long way.

First: Strengthen what makes you human.

Don’t just execute tasks. Do the thinking behind them.

Develop your ability to frame problems, question assumptions, and design solutions that last. In a world where AI can do more of the “how,” your value lies increasingly in the “why” and the “what next.”

I must admit here that there was a time in 2018 that I felt afraid that my job as an Relationship Manager (RM) was going to be taken over by a machine, that was only in the era when machine learning was all the rage. I was worried that chatbots and virtual assistants was going to do a much better job of providing advice.

Thankfully, I’ve come to realise that while these computer programmes may be capable of providing advice, their effectiveness is limited because of the lack of trust, empathy and seasoned judgment of the interplay of complex issues that comes with human interactions.

But the nature of our customer engagements will change. As RMs, it means we must demonstrate mastery of relationship building skills that engenders trust building and we must be recognised as thought leaders who can craft tailored, innovative solutions that reflect the client’s aspirations and circumstances.

And more vital than ever, as RMs we must be able to leverage data analytics to draw customer insights, select the right ideas and mobilise people and resources across the Bank into each client relationship.

Which brings me to my second message.

Second: Stay curious and collect experiences.

Multidisciplinary thinking is not a nice to have — it’s essential.

Technical skills, including AI proficiency, are important. But no skill, learnt in isolation, guarantees resilience.

What truly sets people apart is the ability to connect ideas across fields and experiences.

Explore beyond your comfort zone.

Take opportunities that don’t fit the obvious path.

Try roles that stretch you.

Those experiences will help you bring fresh perspectives and allow you to improve systems, not simply maintain them.

No, AI won't take your job.

Let me come back to the question that opened this talk: Will AI take my job?

My answer is still no.

In fact, AI can help you enter the workforce by levelling the playing field.

When I was a young relationship manager fresh out of school, I spent countless hours reading research and industry reports just to speak confidently with clients.

More experienced colleagues didn’t need to, as their experience filled the gaps.

Today, much of that information can be accessed in seconds through AI.

That gap has narrowed in ways I never imagined.

But here’s the more important question for you:

What will you do with it?

Will you use AI simply to keep up?

Or will you use it to grow faster, think deeper, and contribute more meaningfully?

The future of work isn’t really about technology.

It’s about how humans choose to use it — to amplify judgment, empathy, creativity, and purpose.

This future isn’t something to be afraid of.

It’s something you get to shape.

And I’ll leave you with words from Ralph Waldo Emerson that feel especially fitting for this moment: “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Congratulations, Class of 2026.

Step forward with confidence and leave your trail.