AI promised less work. Think again

The robots haven’t taken our jobs yet, and this week's stories show just how much human work there is still left to do.

Read from your browser Sunday Newsletter Welcome to Tech in Asia's Sunday newsletter, your weekend brief on the biggest moves in Asia's tech and startup world. Subscribe to this newsletter or send story tips to editors@techinasia.com. Ensure our articles appear in your Google searches: IN FOCUS Peter Cowan on why there's more human work to do than ever, and why that's actually inspiring Video killed the radio star, now can it build a world model? Ranking Asia's 50 most-funded AI startups Hello Betamax, Over the last couple of years, predictions from some corners of the AI world projected that agents would be doing many of our jobs by now. That hasn't quite happened yet. The idea that AI would do all our work always unsettled me, even when it was couched as a positive that would free us to pursue other things. You don't have to agree with every word of David Graeber's book Bullshit Jobs to see that work gives so many of us purpose, and we'd be lost without it. So I was relieved to read this issue's weekend deep dive, which argues that there's more work to be done by humans than ever. Turns out every agent still needs a human to actually produce quality work, which is both comforting and inspiring. This week's stories also paint a pretty good picture of how much room there still is for humans to create genuinely exciting things. There's Video Rebirth, a Singapore startup betting that video generation can do more than pump out slop - it can build an AI that actually understands how the world works. The company has a long way to go, but it's taking a big swing. You can alsolook at our story on cleantech in Thailand, where rising fuel prices have thrown into sharp relief just how lacking the country's clean energy infrastructure is. There's plenty of room for humans to do the hard work and build something that is sorely needed. Fortunately, that's still a very human job. Peter Cowan, engagement editor EDITOR'S PICKS 1️⃣ The world model ambition growing inside a SG AI video startup World models, AI models that understand the dynamics of the real world, might be the next big thing in the industry, and Singapore-based Video Rebirth is betting it can build one through video generation. The startup's near-term revenue will come from its enterprise video product, Bach, while its world model ambitions will remain a longer-horizon bet. Competitors in the space have raised billions, so it's fair to wonder if the US$80 million the company has raised is enough runway to prove the thesis before someone better-funded gets there first. 2️⃣ Droom seeks $50m as investors question valuation Indian online car marketplace Droom is targeting profitability this year and an IPO in 2027. This comes as it's looking to raise between US$20 million and US$50 million in a fresh fundraising round. However, an investor Tech in Asia spoke to questioned the firm's valuation of US$430 million, given that the company's contribution margin is only US$720,000 after covering its direct costs. Droom has real scale, but concerns over the lofty valuation and the legal and business record of founder Sandeep Aggarwal may prove harder to move than the cars on its platform. 3️⃣ The clean energy trap Thailand can't seem to escape Thailand imports 57% of its crude oil from the Middle East. When the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed after the US and Israel bombed Iran, there was no domestic cushion, and fuel prices spiked accordingly. This piece from Kotchakorn Khwamchareon of New Energy Nexus Thailand argues that the clean energy capacity that could have cushioned the blow was never built. It also unpacks the structural traps that continue to hold Thai climate startups back. The US-Iran war looks like it may come to a close soon, but the next conflict, and the next supply shock, is always around the corner. SHORT CUTS 1️⃣ From riches to prison rags Byju Raveendran, the founder of Indian edtech firm Byju's, was sentenced to six months in jail in Singapore after the court found he had disobeyed multiple asset-related orders. The sentence caps a stunning collapse for a firm once valued at US$22 billion and a reminder of the insanity of peak Covid-era, zero-interest valuations. 2️⃣ Don't bet on prediction markets making it in Asia Indonesian authorities blocked access to the popular prediction platform Polymarket after a market on whether President Prabowo Subianto would leave office early went viral. It's just the latest Southeast Asian country to ban Polymarket on the grounds that it constitutes online gambling, which is a heavily regulated industry, no matter what Polymarket calls it. 3️⃣ Ferrari goes electric Ferrari unveiled its first fully electric car in Rome on Monday, which is priced at 550,000 euros (US$640,000). While the Luce's design was criticized on social media for lacking the iconic brand's DNA, the arrival of a Ferrari EV may be the clearest sign yet that electric cars are going from dull to sexy. ONE DATA STORY YOU SHOULDN'T MISS Money talks in AI Could Video Rebirth be Southeast Asia's next breakout AI star? It has a chance, but as our data shows, its US$80 million fundraise looks minor league against the sums being thrown around in the broader AI race. We have Video Rebirth ranked 46th among Asia's best-funded AI startups, far behind Moonshot AI's US$2.5 billion at the top. The Chinese firm is building foundational models, which is another game entirely, but the difference in scale is still illustrative. Check out the full list to see where the big bucks are flowing. WEEKEND DEEP DIVE After automation At Tech in Asia, we've embraced AI tools wholeheartedly in all sorts of areas. In fact, several are used just in the production of newsletters like this. Yet despite how many manual processes we've automated, the humans who work here feel like they have more work to do than ever. This article from Dan Shipper, CEO of tech-focused publication Every, goes some way toward explaining why. The more you automate, it turns out, the more expert judgment you need. As Shipper puts it, AI is "trained on the visible residue of human competence," making skills that used to be rare now cheap and widely available. But AI can't think ahead. It knows what work has been done but has no feel for what work needs doing now. Which is comforting for those of us with decades of (ideally gainful) employment left ahead of us. EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out our curated list of trending tech events and Tech in Asia's signature events. Be in the room where Asia's next decade takes shape. With leadership from the government, industry, and capital sectors converging in Jakarta next month, the Asia Economic Summit 2026 will be bringing together 250+ decision-makers shaping the region's future. Seats are increasingly limited as the summit approaches. Unlock exclusive 50%+ off your Delegate Pass. ADVERTISE | SUBSCRIBE | HIRE | FIND JOBS P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Tech in Asia thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Too many emails? 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