In the second of the ST-SMU three-part series on AI in Higher Education, The Straits Times speaks to artificial intelligence (AI) solutions firm and incubator ADDO Ai co-founder Dr Ayesha Khanna on the soft skills needed to thrive in an AI era. Dr Khanna said that in a world increasingly shaped by AI, meta-skills like creativity, resilience and complex problem-solving are key to maximising one’s potential in the workplace. She noted that while AI can retrieve information, how one uses it with creativity and critical thinking will be the key. She said the skill lies in combining domain expertise like work experience, school learning or passions, with AI to build creative solutions. Dr Khanna added that important skills also include openness to adapt, lifelong learning, and designing processes to improve AI tools. She also said efficiency is the floor, not the ceiling; AI should help people do things they previously could not and expand capacity instead of simply increasing productivity. The ST Education Forum 2026, held in partnership with SMU, will be held at the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law on 1 April, Wednesday.