Some of today’s most in-demand jobs didn’t exist a few years ago, and no degree can fully prepare someone for them, one of LinkedIn’s top economists told Business Insider.

Chua Pei Ying, LinkedIn’s chief economist for the Asia-Pacific region, said on the sidelines of the Fortune AI Brainstorm 2025 conference in Singapore that employers had started to shift towards skills-based hiring even before the rapid rise of AI.

Chua Pei Ying, LinkedIn’s Chief Economist for the Asia-Pacific region, said on the sidelines of the Fortune AI Brainstorm 2025 conference in Singapore that employers had already begun shifting toward skills-based hiring even before the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

“Employers are no longer just looking at a candidate’s degree or work experience. They’re looking at their skills, especially because many roles are entirely new,” Chua said in an interview last month. According to LinkedIn data, more than one in five professionals hired in the Asia-Pacific region hold job titles that didn’t exist 20 years ago, ranging from data scientists to content creators.

“You can’t hire someone for a completely new role if that role didn’t exist before,” Chua added. “Similarly, you can’t hire someone with a degree in a field that is entirely new.” The rise of new digital tools and platforms is changing the way businesses operate and, by extension, the skills they require from employees.

“Learning AI will become essential,” Chua emphasized. “It will be considered a must for everyone.” LinkedIn data shows that the skills required for the same role have shifted by 40% since 2016, and this figure is expected to reach 72% by 2030.

What job seekers can do
Chua encourages workers to “embrace technology” rather than fear it, learning how to use it responsibly, verify its outputs, and treat it as a tool rather than a crutch. She also notes that soft skills such as communication and collaboration are becoming increasingly important for both experienced professionals and recent graduates.

Flexibility is another critical skill actively sought by employers, especially for young people entering the workforce. Many tech leaders have already spoken openly about AI’s impact on jobs. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has said that AI could eliminate 50% of entry-level jobs within the next five years.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang argues that AI won’t eliminate jobs but will transform the way they are performed. “I am certain that 100% of jobs will change,” he said last month. “The work we do in our roles will change. The nature of work will change. Mine already has.” Similarly, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas has stated that people need to spend more time using AI.

“Those at the forefront of using AI will be far more productive than those who don’t,” he said last month. “That’s guaranteed.” Some tech leaders are placing particular emphasis on soft skills as a key differentiator in the AI era.

Peter Schwartz, Chief Futures Officer at Salesforce, told Business Insider: “The most important skill is empathy—being able to collaborate with others and understand them.” Mark Zuckerberg, in an interview, said the most important skill is “learning to think critically and form values from an early age.”

“If someone has demonstrated that they can dive deep and become very good at something, they’ve likely gained experience in learning in general,” he added, referring to the traits he looks for in prospective employees.