Singapore government worried AI may break 'bottom rung' of career ladder for young workers: PM Wong
“AI will replace all of that routine work, but we should be careful not to automate away the learning that comes from it,” says Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed concern on October 12 that artificial intelligence (AI) could disrupt the "bottom rung" of the career ladder for young workers by taking away valuable training and mentorship opportunities. Speaking at the DBS Group's Asia Future Forward conference, Wong emphasized that while AI will replace routine work, it is crucial not to automate away the learning process.
He urged employers to be more deliberate in their training and mentoring efforts for young workers. Wong's concern stems from a report by the Ministry of Manpower in April, which found that among Singapore companies that adopted AI, 6.2% reported reduced headcount and 8.5% reported lower hiring activity. In many cases, companies redesigned jobs, created new AI-related roles, or redeployed workers to new positions.
Wong stressed the importance of harnessing AI's productivity benefits while ensuring employers continue to nurture the next generation. He also highlighted Singapore's commitment to establishing international safeguards for frontier AI, welcoming voluntary standards for AI safety despite differences among leading AI labs.
Written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
