BRUNCH

Is AI stealing your job?

White-collar workers risk displacement, but mass layoffs aren’t on the table

Ranamita Chakraborty
Published Fri, Sep 4, 2026 · 02:00 PM
    • Workers in Singapore are finding their roles reshaped by AI, with some tasks increasingly automated and some positions disappearing altogether.
    • Workers in Singapore are finding their roles reshaped by AI, with some tasks increasingly automated and some positions disappearing altogether. ILLUSTRATION: GARETH CHUNG, BT

    [SINGAPORE] There has been growing buzz around how artificial intelligence is reshaping hiring, changing jobs, and even putting roles at risk.

    In May, labour chief Ng Chee Meng put forth a motion calling for no “jobless growth” amid AI-driven disruption at workplaces, referring to a situation in which an economy expands but job creation lags.

    Then Manpower Minister Tan See Leng noted the concern that AI may erode Singaporeans’ skills and experience, or even take over their jobs altogether – with workers’ fears fanned by news of large technology firms announcing layoffs attributed to AI adoption.