One thing has become increasingly clear over the past year: the conversation about artificial intelligence has changed.
Not long ago, much of the attention centered on what AI could do. Today, the focus has shifted to how AI can be embedded into everyday work. How do organizations integrate it into daily operations? How do individuals build the skills and confidence to use it well? And how do businesses create lasting value while ensuring their workforce advances alongside the technology?
That shift is timely.
Malaysia is among the world’s most optimistic countries about AI, with Stanford University’s 2026 AI Index Report finding that 80% of respondents expect AI to profoundly change their lives within the next three to five years. 1
That optimism reflects real opportunity, but it also comes with responsibility.
Recent headlines suggesting that nearly 700,000 jobs could be affected by AI have brought renewed attention to how prepared individuals and organizations are for the changes ahead.
AI is already reshaping the workplace in many industries. The real challenge is ensuring that people are not only able to use these tools, but are equipped to thrive in an environment where AI becomes part of everyday work. This is not simply about adopting another tool. It is about rethinking how organisations create value. Throughout history, every major technological breakthrough has reshaped the professional landscape. Some tasks became easier. Others disappeared. Entirely new jobs and industries emerged. What remained constant was the need for people to learn, evolve, and grow with change.
AI is unlikely to be any different.
At Novartis Malaysia, our work spans commercial operations that help bring medicines to patients, global service delivery that supports operations in more than 20 countries, and partnerships with healthcare professionals and stakeholders throughout Malaysia. In each of these areas, AI is changing how work gets done.
Although our responsibilities are different, we find ourselves grappling with remarkably similar questions.
How do we help colleagues feel confident exploring new tools? How do we embed learning into the flow of work? How do we encourage innovation while ensuring it remains grounded in responsibility, trust, and sound judgment? What we’ve learned is this: the greatest barrier to AI adoption is rarely the technology itself. More often, it is the confidence to take the first step.
Most people do not resist AI because they dislike innovation. They hesitate because they’re unsure where to start, lack the time to explore new tools, or are uncertain how AI applies to their roles. That hesitation can be overcome. Teams need permission to test new approaches, access to practical learning opportunities, and leaders who demonstrate curiosity themselves. When learning becomes part of routine work rather than an additional burden, people are far more likely to embrace new ways of working.
We’ve seen this through an AI-enabled chatbot introduced to handle invoice queries across our organisation. Associates who once waited three to five days for responses now receive answers in about a minute. When payments are delayed, supply chains can slow, vendor relationships can suffer, and downstream processes can stall.
Today, many of those issues can be resolved almost immediately, allowing teams to spend less time answering routine questions and more time addressing challenges that require judgment, context, and expertise. This initiative was recognized at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2026, but the broader lesson extends beyond the innovation itself. AI helps eliminate friction, yet its greatest impact comes from enabling people to contribute at a higher level. Unlocking that potential requires sustained commitment to developing skills, creating opportunities to learn, and giving people the support they need to succeed.
Structured learning pathways, community initiatives such as AI Month, and practical challenges like our AI Innovation Hackathon help move associates from awareness to action. By applying new skills to real workplace challenges, associates build practical expertise, while AI fluency certification programs and development objectives provide a clear pathway for continued growth.
Just as importantly, we’ve made room for experimentation. When 139 associates submitted 65 ideas for our AI Innovation Hackathon, it demonstrated that readiness cannot be mandated. It grows when individuals are encouraged to contribute, test ideas, and learn.
Three insights have emerged from these experiences.
First, AI implementation and talent development should never be viewed as separate investments. When people can explore, test, and refine AI tools within their day-to-day responsibilities, adoption accelerates naturally.
Second, development is most effective when embedded into daily work. As AI becomes more sophisticated, capability is built not only through formal training, but through practical application, experimentation, and continuous learning.
Finally, trust remains essential. People are more willing to embrace AI when they understand why it is being introduced and how it can support their work. Clear guidance, transparent communication, and appropriate oversight help reinforce that trust and enable broader adoption.
Looking ahead, building capability matters more than waiting for certainty.
Given how quickly AI is evolving, organizations don’t need to have all the answers today. What matters is creating the right environment, practical support, and encouragement for people to grow with it.
For those in organizations where AI upskilling opportunities exist, the next step is straightforward: take advantage of them. There is no need to become a data scientist or prompt engineer overnight. Start by understanding the tools available, piloting small use cases, and gradually building familiarity.
Those who remain curious and proactive in developing new skills will be best positioned to thrive as roles evolve and new opportunities emerge.
When organisations and employees embrace this change together, AI can fulfill its real purpose:
Expanding human potential—not replacing it.
Sanjeev Balachandran is Country President of Novartis Malaysia, Brunei, and Asia Emerging Markets and Teh Inn Joo heads the Novartis Corporate Center Kuala Lumpur (NOCC).
