PUBLISHED ONMay 06, 2026 7:26 AMBYKhoo Yi-HangSingapore's workforce may not yet be ready for a transition to artificial intelligence (AI), but is well-positioned for it, Sembawang West SMC MP Poh Li San said in Parliament on Wednesday (May 6).
She was speaking in the debate on AI transition with no "jobless growth", raised by labour chief Ng Chee Meng on Tuesday.
Ng had put forward a parliamentary motion, stressing the need to put workers at the centre of Singapore’s AI-driven economic growth, as it can no longer be assumed that the latter would translate automatically into more or better jobs.
Poh expressed that Singapore's AI transition should be focused on customising AI solutions for industries to empower Singaporeans, highlighting the four key pillars of the national AI strategy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shared in his May Day Rally speech last Friday (May 1).
PM Wong had targeted four industries — advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance and healthcare — for AI transformation.
"AI-powered robots will indeed be the force multiplier," Poh stated. "Are we ready for this transition? Not yet. We are well-positioned for it, but we must move fast."
She then raised six steps needed to make the transition for the workforce, particularly in advanced manufacturing and transport connectivity, encouraging unions to forecast which types of jobs and sectors are at risk due to AI, taking note of the number of workers that may be displaced.
The Ministry of Manpower should then fund retraining for affected workers to prepare them for other roles in other industries.
Workers themselves should also step up and learn new skills, remaining open to new job opportunities.
Next, the Ministry of Education and institutes of higher learning (IHL) should redesign academic programmes to shift students away from fields already taken over by AI.
"All IHL students should learn AI tools relevant for their disciplines," she added.
Poh also stated that the Ministry of Trade and Industry has a part to play in this — it needs to attract more world-class companies in the AI sphere to set up headquarters in Singapore and attract talents for research and development.
Lastly, businesses need to be open to work with AI companies to automate and redesign work processes, revamp job roles and create man and machine hybrid teams, she said.
She had earlier envisioned that man-machine hybrid teams will become the "new normal" in the future, with heavy duty roles done by robots and complex supervisory roles performed by humans.
"It will be a new model of freedom and empowerment unimaginable today, but a reality in the very near future."
She added: "More Singaporeans can retire at a later age, if they wish to, since their roles will become less physically demanding, seniors and women can join industries previously dominated by those with stronger physical abilities.
"And robots also do not carry any social baggage."
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
