The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and a just transition to renewable energy are Scotland's two biggest challenges and opportunities over the next decade, according to Richard Lochhead.
In his last formal commitment as Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work - before becoming Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade - he joked "I'm a hybrid minister this morning" while adding that if he did find himself out of a job "speaking to 600-odd people who work in HR and personnel" was a good place to be.
Addressing the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Scotland conference in Edinburgh, Lochhead said that he used one of the new AI text generation apps and had his mind blown.
"I put in 'give me an inspirational speech about Scotland's renewable energy potential' and in about five second it gave me one of the best speeches I've ever read.
"That recent Goldman Sachs report said AI automation will replace 300 million jobs in Europe and the US alone - but I think it will also bring benefits."
"So I believe AI and the energy transition are the two biggest factors - big threats, but also huge opportunities - for Scotland during this pivotal next decade, but we have to manage our way through these changes properly."
Reflecting on his recent brief leading the Scottish Government's fair work agenda, Lochhead reiterated that it is key to attracting people from all backgrounds into work, creating inclusive and flourishing communities.
"This is an exceptionally difficult environment for businesses to operate in, staff turnover is affecting firms across Scotland, and the bigger picture isn't making things easier," he stated, noting the nation's ageing population, as well as "alarming statistics" from the latest Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts.
Against this backdrop, Lochhead stated that more people need to be brought into the labour market, across different demographics.
"It's key to our approach to the just transition, meaning that in meeting Scotland's economic and climate goals, we also help to tackle underlying inequalities in society.
"We want to fix past mistakes, not repeat them - like when we shut the coal mines down - it's an opportunity to support those most likely to be adversely impacted," he continued, adding: "But we must make sure the new jobs are good jobs, complying with high workplace standards and paying a decent wage."
While Lochhead said Scotland was uniquely well-placed to lead on this agenda, he also accepted that the government cannot be complacent.
"My one big message is that this shouldn't be a burden, it's a benefit for employers."
Addressing the post-pandemic shift to more flexible work, Lochhead said the trend has helped attract more diverse talent, reducing staff attrition and resulting in a more engaged workforce.
"Every employer I speak to can't find staff, can't fulfil order books because they don't have the people to do it, so it's a strange time, as the economy is doing pretty well at the moment, but this is a very serious issue for us all."
Want to provide leadership on this agenda, even though this is no longer my portfolio, it's still very important to my new role.
CIPD chief executive Peter Cheese ended the session by asking about how Lochhead plans to reach smaller businesses in his new role.
Lochhead responded that when he speaks to smaller companies in Scotland, they are often without the capacity or HR departments required to adopt the fair work agenda, so "it's harder to get the message across about he benefits and not quite as easy to adopt, so our approach has got to be proportionate".
In his previous speech, Cheese concluded by arguing that businesses have not always acted in the common good, criticising the fact that many have acted only in the interests of shareholders, rather than all the stakeholders.
He referred to economist Milton Friedman's quote - "there is one and only one social responsibility of business, to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits" - when stating that this should not be the sole purpose of a company, with other key responsibilities.
"A lot of this is emerging in terms of ESG questions and how can we evidence that we're doing to drive towards net zero and not just greenwashing," said Cheese.
"Not all of this will come through regulation, much of it will comes through good practice and transparency, it will be focused on things like inclusion, which is increasingly a business imperative - they must reflect the communities they are part of, in order to continue to recruit new staff."
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