[SINGAPORE] Unlike in many other countries where artificial intelligence has become a source of conflict between workers and employers, Singapore can chart a different course, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said in Parliament on Wednesday (May 6).

“In many countries, AI becomes a tug of war – workers on one end, businesses on the other. Progress contested, trust strained,” he said, wrapping up a debate on a motion by labour chief Ng Chee Meng, which called for an AI transition without “jobless growth” – in which an economy expands, but job creation lags.

“Singapore does not have to go down that road,” Tan added.

The motion calls on Parliament to recognise AI’s transformative potential while ensuring the transition is anchored in fairness, resilience and opportunity, and affirms that economic progress must remain inclusive.

The minister’s remarks came as MPs from both sides of the aisle called for an AI transition that brings workers along, and offered a range of suggestions on how the government and businesses could better facilitate this.

One recurring theme in the debate was the need to ensure that AI adoption by businesses translates into better jobs, rather than fewer of them.

Workers’ Party (WP) Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Eileen Chong said: “It is not enough to observe whether firms adopt AI. We must demand accountability for what happens after adoption.

“The question is simple: Are workers better off after transformation than before?”