Pelgo chief urges governments to support workers amid AI's impact

On July 10, 2026, the International Labour Organization stated that artificial intelligence could impact the work of nearly 80 million people in Southeast Asia, though signs of mass job losses remain limited. Pelgo's head, Chie Huang, called on governments to play a more active role in adapting the labour market and to use AI as a tool to support workers whose tasks will be affected by automation.

How AI is Changing the Labour Market

AI is capable of affecting the jobs of nearly 80 million people in Southeast Asian countries. This is not simply about the disappearance of individual professions: technologies can change the nature of work, the set of required skills, and the distribution of tasks between employees and software systems.

At the same time, the International Labour Organization sees no compelling evidence that the spread of AI has already led to large-scale layoffs in the region. The current effect manifests more as a restructuring of work processes than as a one-time replacement of large numbers of employees.

• Potentially affected are nearly 80 million workers in Southeast Asia
• The assessment was presented by the International Labour Organization
• As of July 10, 2026, mass job cuts due to AI are hardly observed
• The ILO calls on governments to strengthen management of AI development
• Pelgo's head Chie Huang views AI as a tool to assist displaced workers — those who have lost their previous tasks

What the ILO Proposes

The ILO believes that governments need to strengthen their management of artificial intelligence and better align AI measures with overall employment policies. The organization proposes building this process around the human — in such a way that decisions take into account the interests of both workers and companies simultaneously.

Such an approach involves not only controlling the implementation of technologies, but also preparing the labour market for change. Workers and business need conditions under which they can adapt to new requirements, rather than facing the consequences of automation after jobs have already been cut.

The ILO does not claim that AI poses no risks to employment. On the contrary, the assessment of nearly 80 million potentially affected jobs demonstrates the scale of future restructuring. However, available data do not support a scenario of immediate mass unemployment.

Why the State's Role Matters

In Chie Huang's view, governments should not take a passive position and wait for the market to handle the consequences of AI implementation on its own. State measures, he argues, are critical for entrepreneurs, workers, and companies that will need to adapt to new technologies.

AI can become a tool for workers displaced from their previous roles,

not merely a means of eliminating jobs.

In this scenario, technology helps people master new tasks or continue working in a transformed labour organization. This requires coordinated solutions in the areas of regulation, employment, and business support. Specific programs or timelines for their implementation are not disclosed in the presented material.

What This Means

For Southeast Asia, the main question is not whether AI will replace all workers, but how quickly governments and companies can prepare people for changing their tasks. While mass job cuts are not yet visible, the scale of potential impact — nearly 80 million jobs — makes government policy part of the AI agenda.