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Embrace AI or Face Replacement—Grab CEO Anthony Tan’s Stark Warning
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TL;DR – What You Need to Know in 30 Seconds
- Grab CEO Anthony Tan believes workers and companies that don’t embrace AI risk being replaced by those who do.
- Grab paused normal operations for a nine-week generative AI sprint, significantly boosting innovation.
- AI tools developed by Grab, such as driver and merchant assistants, are empowering everyday entrepreneurs.
- Globally, many companies are downsizing due to AI, but Tan insists AI enhances human capabilities rather than replacing them.
Is Your Refusal to Embrace AI Secretly Sealing Your Fate?
Anthony Tan, co-founder and CEO of Grab—the Southeast Asian super-app that transformed regional transport, food delivery, and financial services—has made a bold and slightly unsettling prediction: “Humans who don’t embrace AI will be replaced by humans who embrace AI.”
In other words, whether you’re a company or an individual, ignoring AI isn’t merely shortsighted—it’s career suicide.
But before we panic, what exactly does Tan mean?
Making Humans ‘Superhuman’
Speaking at Converge Live in Singapore, Tan explained to CNBC’s Christine Tan that AI isn’t just a fancy tech upgrade. Instead, it’s a crucial tool to “make you superhuman” by significantly boosting productivity and freeing up valuable time.
Tan himself isn’t just preaching—he’s practising. Despite not being a coder, he’s enthusiastically using AI coding assistants for personal and professional projects. He claims AI has radically changed his productivity, helping him accomplish things previously impossible.
Grab’s Radical AI Experiment
Grab didn’t stop at encouraging individual AI adoption. Instead, the company took it to a whole new level, implementing an ambitious, company-wide nine-week “generative AI sprint”.
This meant putting all regular business on pause to explore AI-driven solutions across the entire company. As Tan humorously admitted:
During this sprint, Grab developed powerful AI tools, including:
- Driver Co-pilot: An AI assistant reducing wait times and boosting job opportunities for drivers.
- Merchant AI Assistant: Imagine a single mother in Jakarta now equipped with an AI-driven sous chef, packaging expert, and even a chief revenue officer—all in one assistant. This innovation isn’t just about efficiency; it’s empowerment, reshaping the livelihoods of Grab’s vast network of entrepreneurs.
The Wider Implications for Asia
This isn’t just a Grab-specific phenomenon. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report, 40% of employers globally plan to downsize due to AI, and a whopping 86% anticipate AI reshaping their businesses by 2030.
Asia, in particular, with its digitally fluent workforce and vibrant entrepreneurial scene, stands uniquely poised to lead this transition. Grab’s aggressive AI strategy under Tan’s leadership could become a model for businesses across Southeast Asia, showcasing how AI can be harnessed responsibly and productively.
Human vs AI: Not a Zero-Sum Game
Tan stresses AI shouldn’t evoke fear—it should inspire excitement. AI adoption isn’t about machines replacing humans. It’s about humans becoming irreplaceable by effectively harnessing these tools.
If you’re reluctant or sceptical, Anthony Tan’s message is clear: embrace AI now, or watch as those who do leave you behind.
Hot Take
Anthony Tan might sound dramatic—but he has a point. If you’re not actively exploring AI, you’re preparing yourself (and your company) to become obsolete. The clock is ticking: Will you adapt, or will you become the adaptation?
What do you think?
Are you inspired or intimidated by Anthony Tan’s AI-driven future? Drop your thoughts below!
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