Is Singapore falling behind in AI upskilling?

SINGAPORE – Despite government efforts to prepare workers for an AI-driven future, only half of Singaporeans (53%) are willing to sharpen their skills to stay relevant in a changing job market, a new global study showed.

This isn’t to say Singaporeans have little exposure to emerging tech. In fact, 3 in every 5 Singaporeans (60%) have tried using generative AI either for professional or personal reasons while some use AI tools monthly (43%). But when it comes to AI upskilling and reskilling, nearly half of Singaporeans surveyed are reluctant to develop their competency, according to the Decoding Global Talent 2024 report.

Compare these numbers to the rest of Southeast Asia – where 63% of talent are hungry to learn about AI – and it appears Singapore is falling behind in the race to upskill/reskill. Only 41% of Singaporeans would undergo training, but only if it were mandatory.

“This reluctance to embrace reskilling comes at a time when the use of GenAI in both professional and personal contexts is on the rise,” noted researchers from BCG’s The Network, which includes Jobstreet by SEEK, and The Stepstone Group.

Why are Singaporeans reluctant to upskill in AI?

If Singaporean talent are now adopting AI tools more regularly, then why does the workforce appear hesitant to engage in AI upskilling?

On the surface, the high AI adoption rate in the country can be attributed to Singapore’s launch of the National AI Strategy, the researchers pointed out. But while the government has outlined key actions to empower citizens in an AI-driven future – not the least of which is upskilling/reskilling – the country’s workforce (40%) are generally still “unfamiliar” with the capabilities of GenAI, the report said.

Also Read: 5 AI skills to future-proof your workforce

Yet, many Singaporeans expect AI to affect their work, as well as their reskilling agenda, in the next five years:

• 59% believe some tasks will change and some reskilling will be necessary
• 18% expect their job will be transformed and significant reskilling will be necessary
• 4% say their job will be eliminated or the demand for it will decrease and reskilling for a different one will be necessary

Only 1 in every 5 Singaporeans (19%) predicts their job is safe from the impact of AI.

Those most concerned about AI eliminating or significantly reducing the demand for their job work in the following areas:

• Service & hospitality (29%)
• Administration & secretariat (24%)
• Financial services (23%)
• Sales & customer service (23%)

The study found Singaporean talent today are still more focused on developing “traditional” competencies:

• Analytical skills (46%)
• Functional and job-specific skills (35%)
• Project management (27%)

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Future-proofing Singapore’s workforce

“AI’s impact is undeniable, and it is essential for both individuals and employers in Singapore to start taking proactive steps in reskilling and future-proofing our workforce,” said Vic Sithasanan, Acting Managing Director, Jobstreet by SEEK in Singapore.

Sithasanan urges Singaporeans to “actively engage and build” their skillsets given the rapid pace of change in today’s job market.

After all, emerging tech like AI is reshaping demand for certain competencies faster than the world is keeping pace with its talent supply. For this reason, the World Economic Forum has sounded the alarm on the global reskilling crisis.

Apart from individual talent embracing opportunities to upskill, “Employers also play a crucial role in bridging this gap by offering clear guidance and accessible learning opportunities, as aligned with Singapore’s Smart Nation 2.0 strategy,” Sithasanan said. “Without this ongoing support and drive to reskill, local talent will struggle to adapt professionally in the evolving AI landscape.”