MTI: Singapore’s AI boom may not translate into more jobs

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Artificial intelligence is expected to play an important role in Singapore’s economic growth, but its adoption may not translate into job creation at the same pace as previous periods of growth.

Speaking at the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Economic Dialogue on 26 August, minister for trade and industry (energy and industry) Tan See Leng reportedly said AI and automation could allow companies to produce more with fewer workers.

As a result, Singapore cannot assume that economic growth will continue to create the same number or types of jobs as it has in the past, he said, reported The Straits Times.

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Tan reportedly stressed that AI adoption should remain human-centric, with the Government focused on creating pathways into growth sectors, improving the quality of jobs in essential and resilient occupations, and encouraging entrepreneurship.

He also highlighted plans to provide “career bridges” for workers more exposed to disruption from AI, automation and changing cost structures, helping them transition into new opportunities.

Tan further noted the importance of ensuring that the benefits of AI adoption extend beyond leading firms, with small and medium-sized enterprises also able to adopt useful AI solutions while equipping workers to use the technology alongside their existing expertise.

The comments come as Singapore continues to position AI as a key driver of its economic development, while grappling with how its adoption could reshape the labour market.

The impact is already being felt across Singapore’s job market, with AI reshaping how companies plan their workforces and the skills they require.

According to a Robert Walters salary survey in November 2025, around one-third of companies have already deployed AI for workforce planning, while another 30% plan to do so. The survey estimates that up to half of employees may need to reskill or upskill over the next five years as AI adoption expands.

For marketers, the shift is already reshaping the skills and roles in demand. The survey found that rising AI adoption and cost pressures are reducing demand for some entry-level executional roles, such as basic content production, social media operations and CRM maintenance, while demand is growing for senior digital specialists, marketing automation experts, performance marketers and revenue-focused roles.

Rather than replacing marketers outright, AI is increasingly being used for tasks such as campaign analysis, content research, copywriting and performance optimisation. This puts greater emphasis on skills that AI cannot easily replicate, including creativity, commercial judgement, strategic thinking, adaptability and relationship management. Professionals who can combine marketing expertise with technological and commercial skills are therefore likely to be better positioned as the industry continues to evolve.

AI is already reshaping the workforce

These shifts are already playing out across Singapore’s workforce. In June 2026, Shopee reportedly cut hundreds of developer roles globally, affecting around 8% of its developer workforce, amid a broader push to reshape its operations around AI. While it remained unclear whether the cuts were directly linked to the company’s AI initiatives, the move reflected the wider pressure on technology firms to reassess their workforce as AI adoption accelerates.

Meta also carried out cuts across Asia Pacific in May as part of a broader restructuring tied to its AI push, with Singapore staff reportedly among those affected. At the same time, the company was moving employees into newly created AI-focused teams and closing thousands of open roles as it reorganised around AI products and automated workflows.

The impact has extended beyond the technology sector. In 2025, DBS said it expected AI to reduce the need to renew around 4,000 temporary and contract roles across its markets over three years. At the same time, the bank said it was investing in reskilling and upskilling, with around 13,000 employees identified for training in areas including AI and data.

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