How technology impacts jobs: Launch of the Asian Development Outlook 2018

Dr Juzhong Zhuang, Deputy Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank, presents a study on technology and jobs in Asia

Watch the full presentation:


Asian Development Bank’s flagship economic publication Asian Development Outlook 2018 (ADO) provides a comprehensive analysis of macroeconomic issues in developing Asia, including growth projections by country and region.

Asia has made considerable progress creating good jobs, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. While technological progress and structural transformation have driven this process, there is growing concern that risks from automation enabled by new technologies could undermine future job growth. This year’s ADO theme, “How Technology Impacts Jobs,” emphasizes that even as increased automation displaces some tasks, new occupations emerge to take their place raising the hope that the prevalence of good jobs will not diminish. The displacement of workers due to technology is real. But with the right skills, training, and regulation, Asia can overcome this challenge.

The ADO presentation by ADB Deputy Chief Economist Juzhong Zhuang addressed:
  • Economic prospects for developing Asia and the Pacific
  • Risks emanating from the buildup of private debt
  • Trends in foreign direct investment in Asia and impact of US fiscal policy
  • Potential benefits of distributed ledger technology for development finance
  • Rising automation and the quest for good jobs in Asia
  • Policy options to ensure developing Asia’s workers continue to benefit from technological advancements
ADO presents analysis of 45 economies, including the People’s Republic of China, India, and Indonesia. The report also examines the prospects for developing Asia by subregion: Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.

The director of the ILO Research Department Damian Grimshaw was be the discussant in the presentation.


Read the full report here.