SINGAPORE: Amid disruption from artificial intelligence, Singapore will not leave the future of work and the livelihoods of its people to chance, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said on Wednesday (May 6).

Instead, the country will shape a transformation that is inclusive, forward thinking and “anchored in real action”, Dr Tan told parliament.

“Singaporeans will never be helpless passengers to an AI-driven future, but Singaporeans will be our fellow co-pilots as our AI journey takes flight,” he said.

“And we will move forward in the Singapore way, with government, employers and the unions working together to ensure that our AI transformation creates good jobs, clear pathways for every Singaporean worker towards a better future.”

The minister was responding to a motion about an AI transition with “no jobless growth”, which was proposed by National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng. More than 20 MPs debated the motion over two days.

Dr Tan said he supports the motion, which calls on parliament to: recognise AI’s transformative power; emphasise the need to anchor AI-enabled growth in fairness, resilience and opportunity for all; equip workers and businesses to seize new opportunities together; and affirm inclusive economic progress.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has said that there is no indication of widespread job displacement by AI, and that early evidence suggests AI is complementing rather than displacing labour in Singapore.

According to its poll earlier this year, 6.2 per cent of firms have reduced headcount due to AI adoption, while 8.5 per cent of firms had reduced hiring activity due to AI.

But Dr Tan on Wednesday said Singapore must be prepared that AI’s impact on jobs will be greater as its adoption gains pace and scale.

The goal is to enable more businesses to use AI in such a way that workers can do their jobs better rather than be replaced, that work becomes more meaningful, and that AI’s benefits are shared between businesses and workers, he said.

Dr Tan said Singapore has weathered deep disruption in the past – through the Asian financial crisis, SARS and COVID-19 – because workers, businesses and the government stood together.

“In many countries, AI becomes a tug of war – workers on one end...