Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng assured Singaporeans that the government will provide support during the shift toward AI, stating that AI is augmenting the workforce and creating new roles rather than simply replacing jobs.
Dr Tan See Leng assured Singapore ans that the Government will support them amid the AI transition. May 06, 2026 1:20 PMThe Government will not allow Singapore ans to become "helpless passengers" as artificial intelligence propels our country into the future, Manpower Minister Dr Tan See Leng said in Parliament on Wednesday .
He was sharing his perspective on the parliamentary motion of no "jobless growth" put forward by labour chief Ng Chee Meng on Tuesday, where the latter highlighted that Singapore's AI-driven economic growth does not equate to more or better jobs for workers. Highlighting the concerns that Singaporeans are feeling amid the AI transition, Dr Tan said that many may "sense that the ground is shifting beneath their feet".
Not only is the world rapidly changing due to conflict in the Middle East, AI is also a source of anxiety as Singaporeans worry over what it could represent amid large tech firms announcing layoffs due to AI adoption "These are legitimate concerns, and we take it seriously," he said.
"And the change of this magnitude is indeed unsettling. ""Recent global surveys show that two in three companies that made earlier AI-driven cuts are already rehiring. "But why is that so? Because they found that AI could handle the predictable and routine, but customers still wanted human judgement, empathy and the genuine connection that AI could not provide.
" Dr Tan further shared that the Ministry of Manpower is closely monitoring AI's impact on the workforce.it is augmenting, rather than replacing the workforce. Only about three in 10 firms have adopted AI, of which only a small minority have reported reduced income.
Meanwhile, seven in 10 firms using AI have seen productivity gains.
"They're creating new AI related roles, indicating that AI is changing how work is done, how they are being reorganised, rather than reducing jobs. ""We must be prepared that as AI adoption gains pace, gains momentum and scale, the impact on jobs would be greater, and that's why we constantly prepare ourselves. "In helping individuals and businesses with the transition, Dr Tan reiterated some of the steps being taken to prepare Singaporeans.
The Government recently passed the Bill for the Skills and Workforce Development Agency — the merger between SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore — which aims to provide ease of access to support for both businesses and workers.who shared that there are now over 1,600 AI-related courses on the MySkillsFuture website.
"From the second half of this year, Singaporeans who enroll in selected SkillsFuture AI courses will receive six months of free access to premium AI tools," he said. Businesses have also been assisted by the ongoing Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package, which has helped them implement job redesign and reskill workers where necessary.
He shared that the Government has topped up the National Trades Union Congress company training committee grant by around $200 million in 2025 and extended the grant to 2028. In closing, Dr Tan promised that the Government will "walk alongside" workers and assist in the AI transition.
"We'll help you to compete, so that together you can create better opportunities, both for your businesses and for your workers. "We will not leave the future of work, the livelihoods of our workers, or Singaporeans, to chance, we will shape a transformation that is inclusive, forward thinking anchored in real action. "Singaporeans will never be helpless passengers to an AI driven future— Singaporeans will be our fellow co-pilots as our AI journey takes flight," Dr Tan said.
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