During November, I’m interviewing leaders from the technology industry for real time insights on the adoption of Artificial Intelligence along with AI’s impact on organizational talent and our careers. With it being “Movember” and Men’s Health month – we’ve also discussed Men’s Wellbeing and Mental health.

Microsoft’s Sandy Gupta: Artificial Intelligence, Leadership, Talent & Wellbeing | LinkedIn

Amazon Web Services’ Sanjay Patel: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Talent & Mental Health | LinkedIn

To take a different approach, below is an interview with 4 undergraduate students in Singapore that I’ve been mentoring over summer – for Gen Z’ers unique perspectives on AI, their careers and mental health.

Quick Introductions:

Jovan Ong: Year 3, Accountancy and Finance, Interned at Deloitte Singapore.

Thaddeus Lim: Year 3, Accountancy and Finance, Interned at Ernst & Young Singapore.

Evan Lim: Year 1, Law & Management.

Kaegen Teo: Year 1, Law and Management, Interned at Populus Law Corporation and Avalon Law Corporation.


SITAL: Hello Gents! Thanks for taking time to connect. Let’s start with a question on the topic of the day – AI, and the interesting times that we’re in.

How do you view the influence of AI on your current studies and future career? Are there specific aspects of AI that excite you or concern you?

KAEGENThanks Sital, yes…what a time! I am studying to be a lawyer – and while technology may ‘disrupt’ the legal industry, in my opinion the present state of AI technology will not ‘displace’ the lawyer; instead, it will enhance and re-shape the way and modes in which lawyers can carry out their roles of advising and representing clients.

Tools like ChatGPT 4 Turbo excite me for their ability to mimic legal reasoning, offering a new edge in generating ideas and summarizing documents. However, ethical dilemmas and the lack of transparency in how AI makes decisions (“black box” problem) remain concerning.

EVANI find the advancements in AI both exciting and concerning. Setting aside the notion of AI potentially taking over the world, I appreciate how AI progress can support me in my academic studies. It is convenient to utilize ChatGPT for researching and finding answers for schoolwork. I believe that as I move forward into internships and actual employment, AI will streamline my workload by providing more efficient methods for research and task completion.

The prospect of AI taking over jobs is a tangible and possible threat. However, overall, I view the development of AI more as a positive than a negative. It has the potential to significantly help both students and workers.

JOVAN: AI is a great benefit to future accounting professionals like me; there to enhance our roles, rather than replace us. It’s key in processing data, allowing us to focus on strategic tasks. I feel embracing AI and continuous learning is essential for our future roles as the pace at which AI is moving – we’ll be left behind if we don’t keep learning!

THADDEUSI am also studying accounting with a focus on Auditing. As a student, the ease at which AI can draft essays is a testament to its capabilities and impact on our education system. In terms of my future profession, AI’s power to replicate and enhance human tasks in auditing is impressive – yet it can’t replace the nuanced human judgment. That’s where me and my peers need to focus on sharpening our human traits and judgment.

SITAL: Thank you, these are sensible and well-balanced perspectives. With students facing a competitive job market upon graduation, what are your main stresses and concerns? How do you balance these pressures with your personal wellbeing?

JOVAN: The job market’s focus on grades is daunting. Within the Accounting field, it is highly competitive, which encourages students to outperform one another to shine and develop unhealthy rivalries. Personally, I have experienced such situations before and have been under immense pressure to keep up with my peers.

I see the importance of networking and personal branding as a significant part of career success. Ultimately, in the long run, work experience is more significant than just paper qualifications. So, I try and keep a balanced perspective on grades which helps manage stress levels.

KAEGEN: With the hypercompetitive job market, my main concern would be how I might go about staying relevant and having sufficient job opportunities that match my aspirations.

I manage my wellbeing by ensuring I have a supportive environment around me, having good wellbeing practices and celebrating the successes – no matter how small. These are critical to my mental health and career success.

SITALThat’s absolutely the right way to think – grades are just one part of your overall value to future employers.

You mentioned mental health – could you please share your thoughts on the unique mental health challenges faced by young men in today’s world? What do you think is often misunderstood by others about these challenges?

EVANFor me, men’s mental health is a new and important topic. It’s not new because it’s a new development, but because it’s been ignored for a long time. From a young age, men often hear that their feelings don’t matter, and they’re supposed to be tough and hide their emotions – basically, “fake it till you make it.”

Getting help for mental health is tough for men due to this history. Some might even feel weak or embarrassed about seeking help for their mental health. In places like Singapore and parts of Asia, it seems like people are not talking about men’s mental health as much as in Western countries. This keeps old-fashioned ideas alive that men should be the strong leaders of their families, making it hard for Asian men to ask for help.

People from far away might say it’s easy for men to be brave and seek help, but as a young man myself, I know it’s not that simple. Growing up with the idea that I should always be strong and not show my feelings, even when I have problems, makes it hard for me to open up. I think it’s much harder for men to actually get help for their mental health and problems than it might seem.

KAEGENI feel the awareness of mental health issues among young individuals seems to be increasing. But despite the availability of numerous care options, there appears to be a lack of sufficient education on how to choose the most suitable one. The task of making this decision can be daunting for many. Both self-stigma and social stigma continue to persist.

With social media, many mental health problems seem to be more hidden or subtle. While on the surface the subject of a post may seem happy or doing well in their life – but that may not be their true reality.

SITALThank you for being brave and so open in sharing these insights – many of your points will resonate with others reading this, I’m sure.

What is one piece of advice you would offer young men around their mental health?

KAEGEN: Humans, by nature, are social beings who crave connection. However, we should abandon what people think about us.

Caring about what others think of us is natural – it is part of that desire to make connections and feel accepted. Instead, we should focus on the progress we make each day without comparing with others. That will allow us to be in a state of freedom and fulfilment. 

EVAN: Like I said, it’s not easy for young men to talk about their mental health. But nowadays there are so many resources available when we need help: phone lines, apps and websites – where young men can get help anonymously.

As difficult as it is, try to pick up the phone or an app and ask for help. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

SITAL Thanks for the wise advice here. Sharing below are some places to get help in Singapore for anyone seeking help:

  • Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1 767 
  • Institute of Mental Health Helpline: 6389 2222
  • CHAT: www.chat.mentalhealth.sg/
  • Singapore Association of Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019
  • Other mental health mobile apps: CARA Unmask, Safe Space, Intellect, MindFi, Myloh 
  • You can also find a list of international helplines here. If someone you know is at immediate risk, call 24-hour emergency medical services.

SITALLet’s wrap up with a fun question: If you could have any AI-powered superpower to help you in your studies, career, or daily life, what would it be and why?

JOVANI’d choose AI automation to ‘download’ learning materials, streamlining my education and work, and avoiding information overload.

KAEGENThe ability to instantly synthesize and understand complex concepts would be my desired superpower – helping me both professionally and personally.

THADDEUS: Singapore is a nation full of ‘foodies’. So, an automated AI tool guiding me to the best food based on live reviews, my personal taste and current mood would be awesome!

EVANI like these! If we combined these AI Superpowers we would have the ultimate AI toolset – enhancing learning, simplifying tasks, and enriching life with good food and enjoyment. Add a social community and we’d also feel more connected – helping our mental health too!

SITAL: I think you’ve the beginnings of a new AI start up there! Let’s finish of there – thank you for being so open in your sharing. 

Talking of food and community – we’ve some amazing food at the Movember drinks and bites on Thursday 30th November this week. Being Movember, it’s an “off-menu” selection of healthy bites – all with a fun Movember theme!

Invitation flyer in the comments below. Registration link here:

THADDEUSFree food? We’ll be there Sital!

The AI Superpowered boys will be joining us on Thursday 30th. See you then!