Opening Address at SNEF Employers' Summit 2026

Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau, Grand Hyatt Singapore

1 Good afternoon everyone.

2 Thank you to SNEF for bringing us together at this first Employers' Summit.

3 I have spoken at quite a few events on AI and work. It seems to be a very popular conference or seminar topic. This is my third one this past week, and I suspect many of you have also attended quite a few. Many of these conferences tend to go the same way. Someone tells you AI is a great opportunity, go forth and seize it. Then they will acknowledge there are many concerns, understandable concerns, and then they will agree to work together for the betterment of Singapore and all Singaporeans.

4 So I wanted to try something different this afternoon. I will name three questions I suspect many of you have for the Minister for Manpower. Then I will explain to you why I cannot give you a very clear answer, and share what I think we should do instead.

5 So today’s remarks may come across a little less reassuring than the usual speech. But I hope it is more useful, and I hope that you will still have me again next year.

6 So the first question, and this is something we often hear, is: Where is AI taking Singapore's economy? What does it mean for my business?

7 Strictly speaking, this one belongs to my colleagues at the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry. But it comes up every time at these conferences, so let me try.

8 Most of you want to know which sectors will grow and where to place your bets. You want to know whether your own industry is likely to grow, where the winners and the losers may be, and the lack of predictability makes it very hard for all of you to plan.

9 But I cannot give you the answer with full confidence. The technology that we are speaking about, AI, is moving faster than any one of us can track. Most of it is being developed outside of Singapore, by companies whose next release of their models none of us control. And the economic gains that materialise will only happen when the firms change how they actually work. All of that takes years.

10 Singapore's gains from AI will come from using it well, across thousands of firms, both big and small. And that is where the national question about where the economy is going turns into your business decision.

11 So what should we do instead? Do not wait for the big picture to settle. Many employers I meet will ask when is the best time to hop on, if the models are stable, if the solution providers will be able to deliver yet, and if one should wait for another three or six months.

12 Our advice is always to not wait too long for things to settle. Start with your own business. What are your workers and customers most frustrated with? What needs to change for your business to stay competitive? AI can automate tasks and lower costs, but it can also help you offer new services and develop new capabilities.

13 Some of you are already doing this. At every conference I go to, I meet more of you who can tell me concretely what you are already doing in your companies. That is good news. Singtel is applying AI across its customer experience, networks and enterprise offerings. They are also redesigning roles alongside it. Mr Yuen will share more about Singtel’s experience.

14 For many SMEs, however, getting started can be daunting, and we recognise this. So we do have the Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package that SNEF’s President has also mentioned, where businesses can tap on the Workforce Development Grant (Job Redesign+) for funding of project costs. The enhanced SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit also helps companies offset transformation and training costs. So the support is there, but we do need more of you to say, “It’s time for me to start.”

15 So that’s my first answer about the economy. Start with the business problem, and not so much the technology. Make use of the support available and take practical steps forward.

16 Now the second question that we often get is: how many jobs will AI take, and which ones?

17 This is the question I get most often, because if we knew the number, and you knew the numbers, then you can start planning around it.

18 But unfortunately, we cannot give you that number. Yes, we are studying the changes and yes, we are tracking the movements, but the forecasts around the world disagree widely. Depending on who you ask or which research paper you look at, some will say apocalypse in a few years, some will say, no, unlikely, the jobs will still be around. Now, most of this research counts whole jobs, but actually AI impacts different tasks within each job. Therefore, no one can predict precisely which job roles will disappear, or how fast it will happen in every sector.

19 The answer actually depends on decisions that many of you in this room have not made yet. Two companies in the same industry can face the same problem, but they can respond to it differently. One can empower its staff to try and use AI, and develop a new workflow. The other company can buy an AI solution off the shelf, and then think “Why not I cut headcount to reduce some costs? Maybe the Board would like to hear that, so maybe that is how I will start.” Same problem statement, same technology, but very different workforce outcomes.

20 So I cannot forecast your business decisions. But I hope I can help you make good ones.

21 So what should we do instead? Think about your people every time you think about the technology. Empower your employees to identify how technology can help, and if you are hiring, consider first whether your existing staff can be trained for emergent roles.

22 A few days ago, we gave out 14 SkillsFuture Fellowship awards, and these went to employees who would not quite have expected to be the ones taking on and applying AI in their workplaces — people who looked after conventional cranes at PSA, and bus captains at SMRT. But their employers said, "Why not give it a shot?" And they took the challenge on, and they became the AI influencers in their organisations.

23 So do not overlook the talent you already have. Experienced employees can take on higher-value work with the right training. Senior workers who prefer shorter hours can also continue contributing through flexible roles.

24 Of course, this requires strong HR capabilities, and this is why we are launching PATH, the People-centred AI Transformation for HR initiative. It is a playbook that brings together AI Starter Kits for selected HR use cases, and training to build AI fluency among HR professionals. We are also helping SMEs access HR expertise more directly. We do have Elitez Group, one of the exhibitors today, showcasing Meridian, which is an AI-powered HR tool included in the AI Starter Kits.

25 The Tripartite Workgroup on Senior Employment has also recommended a new Re-Employment Credit to help employers hire and retain senior workers.

26 Transformation is not just about finding ways to operate with fewer people. It is also about finding better ways for people to contribute.

27 Now the third question: If all of this goes badly, what will the Government do?

28 This one usually isn’t said so directly to me, but comes out in many forms, shapes and sizes, but people want to know if there is an insurance plan or safety net. Sometimes, this is about workers losing jobs. Sometimes, it is about businesses, especially SMEs, falling behind. Either way, people hope that MOM will be a safety net.

29 Now I cannot describe a very big response to a disruption no one can yet size. And if I did, I would either be overpromising, or designing for the wrong problem.

30 Policy in Singapore will move in steps, and we will adjust as we learn. It is the only responsible way to act when the ground is still moving very rapidly.

31 Now, what I can tell you, though, is that we will watch closely and act early. We are reviewing our support schemes to provide stronger support to graduates and mid-career retrenched workers.

32 So what should we do instead? It is natural to want an insurance policy. But what we really need is a partnership. Platforms like the Tripartite Jobs Council, and my conversations with workers and business leaders like all of you here, these allow me to sense what is going on, pick up the signals early, and then work together on solutions. No one has the full picture, so tell us what you are seeing, before it shows up in the data.

33 Bring your unions and your workers into the redesign of their jobs, because we know that people are more likely to contribute to change when they have helped shape it.

34 And , share the gains. As the National Wages Council has long emphasised, productivity gains should show up in stronger businesses and also in better jobs, progression and sustainable wage growth.

35 Those of you who are still sitting on the fence, but have done well in the past year, please do your part for the workers. When your employees trust that they will be treated fairly and see opportunities to grow, they are more willing to contribute to the success of transformation.

36 And to go back to the question, the best protection against all of this going badly is what we do together now.

Closing

37 So there you have it. Three questions, and three times I have told you I do not have a neat answer. I hope you will forgive me, and invite me back next year.

38 But on a more serious note, when we look back at our own history in Singapore, Singapore has rarely had an answer at the start of a big shift. But we have always found a way forward by staying at the table as employers, union leaders and the Government. We stay honest with each other about what we know and what we do not know yet. We have navigated change by being practical and resourceful, willing to invest in new capabilities and more importantly, invest in our people.

39 And so my hope is that, in a few years, we will measure our progress in this transition not only by how many companies have adopted AI or new technologies, but by whether our businesses have created new opportunities for growth and helped our people to contribute in new ways.

40 So next year, I hope to come back with fewer "I don't knows", because by then some of the answers will have come from all of you.

41 Thank you.