AI needs to ‘work in support of humans’: Josephine Teo

[SINGAPORE] Artificial intelligence should work in support of humans, rather than require them to make the technology work, said Minister of Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo on Thursday (Jun 4).

Amid growing concerns about AI-driven job cuts globally, she sought to give reassurance that Singapore’s approach places people at the centre of AI adoption.

She was giving a keynote speech at the Nomura Investment Forum Asia 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, on the Republic’s AI strategy and the use of the technology for public good and investment. 

Tripartite partners in Singapore share a commitment to ensure that AI adoption does not result in job displacement, she noted. This means job redesign and workforce reskilling will need to take place at scale, building on existing SkillsFuture programmes.

“This emphasis is absolutely critical in how we think about AI implementation,” she added.

The efforts form part of the government’s broader strategy to prepare the workforce for an AI-driven future, while keeping workers’ interests and concerns at the centre of policymaking.

“The interests and concerns of our people are front and centre of all we do. They cannot be an afterthought,” she said.

She added that advanced AI tools and industry-specific models should not operate in a vacuum. “It should require a workforce that has the skills to guide, supervise and integrate them safely into existing workflows.”

The minister’s comments come as companies including Meta have announced job cuts while pursuing greater efficiency through AI and automation. 

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She highlighted the National AI Impact Programme, launched during Budget 2026, under which Singapore aims to nurture 100,000 “AI-bilingual” professionals for a start.

“These are people who combine their domain expertise in fields like finance, law and medicine with a practical understanding of how to use and apply AI in their roles,” she said.

She gave the example of a portfolio manager using AI to sharpen an investment thesis and stress-test assumptions. She is “not just more productive, she (also) has a sharper edge, and critically, she remains the one making the call”, Teo said.

Beyond developing AI talent, she highlighted that the government is also supporting 10,000 businesses in integrating AI meaningfully into their operations.

This is aimed not only at large multinational corporations but also small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for 99 per cent of enterprises in Singapore and employ 70 per cent of the workforce.

“They are major contributors to our economy, and either they move ahead together with companies at the frontier or they become laggards,” Teo said.

Through these targeted initiatives, the government aims to prepare the local workforce to work alongside next-generation technologies.

“By providing the infrastructure, the trusted guard rails and a skilled workforce, we ensure that businesses have a stable foundation to build and scale their AI solutions,” she added.

Growing AI ecosystem

Teo also addressed concerns about the impact of geopolitical tensions on the digital economy, adding that she is frequently asked whether geopolitical rivalries could fracture the digital world into separate blocs.

While acknowledging the possibility of such an outcome, countries should not allow uncertainty to paralyse action.

“My fellow digital ministers in the Asean region and I want to make the most of AI to uplift our economies,” she said.

She highlighted that Singapore’s efforts are not solely focused on building infrastructure and capabilities.

Equally important is actively maintaining ties with partners in the United States, Europe and China, and finding opportunities for meaningful collaboration, including facilitating cross-border data flows.

Without such connectivity, digital infrastructure would be significantly constrained, she said.

“We see them all as having an interest and capacity to be part of the AI growth story in Asean,” she added.

Addressing investors at the forum, Teo invited greater participation in Singapore’s growing AI ecosystem and AI hubs.

“In doing so, you will gain new access to the wider Asean market with a population of over 650 million and a digital economy that is on track to reach US$1 trillion by 2030,” she said.

Describing Asean as a significant engine of growth, she noted that the upcoming Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement is expected to further strengthen the region’s momentum.

Singapore, she added, can serve as a gateway to the region, with AI solutions developed and deployed here potentially finding applications across other Asean markets.

She also highlighted that Singapore’s AI ecosystem is “shaping up reasonably well” and providing “reasons to aim higher and move faster”.

She noted that the government announced an update to Singapore’s National AI Strategy at last month’s ATxSummit, as it seeks to sharpen its focus in the areas with the biggest opportunities in AI.

Such plans are also intended to support the National AI Council, chaired by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Among its priorities will be national AI missions aimed at moving beyond small-scale pilot projects and towards sector-wide transformation in four areas: connectivity, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and finance.