Future-proofing Singapore for the robotic age

THE rise of automation and robots, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is usually viewed in one of two ways: either it will lead to mass unemployment in an increasing winner-takes-all market; or it will create effortless growth where time and wealth are redistributed as mankind reaps the benefits of its mechanical workforce.

Both visions are extreme, and they ignore the real synergies that can be created when a progressive government and a thriving private sector work in tandem. This fertile middle ground is where Singapore wants its future businesses and industries to grow.

In his May Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was precise when he identified what Singapore needs to do to continue to prosper. Helping businesses create new jobs, placing displaced workers in alternative roles and training workers to grow in their jobs are vital policies if we are all to meet the changing landscape of the 21st century.