“Singapore Tops APAC in Workplace AI Integration, But Faces Employee Support Gaps “

SINGAPORE: Singapore has become the leading adopter of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with 45% of businesses already using AI in daily operations, according to a report by PERSOLKELLY. Another 38% of companies plan to integrate AI soon, highlighting Singapore’s advanced position in workplace AI deployment.

However, while nearly half of Singapore’s businesses aim to establish internal AI policies within the next year, the report also notes a gap in employee support. Although 45% of business leaders are ready to redefine roles to incorporate AI, only 27% are prepared to help employees transition to new roles—a figure lower than the APAC average of 36%.

Efforts to bridge this skills gap are underway, with 53% of businesses planning reskilling programs and 47% looking to create roles that work alongside AI. Currently, 41% of companies are providing AI education to employees. Yet, a significant gap remains: while 80% of employers anticipate job shifts due to AI, only 16% are planning to offer internal upskilling, and a mere 17% will provide AI-specific certification opportunities.

Top motivations for adopting AI include productivity gains (57%), increased efficiency (59%), and reduced error rates (40%). The most popular AI tools in use are chatbots and virtual assistants (27%), AI for writing (23%), and robotic process automation (RPA) (19%).

Despite these advancements, only 8% of companies plan to hire AI-specialized talent, with limited AI impact anticipated for legal and recruiting sectors. The findings suggest that, while Singapore leads in AI adoption, there is an urgent need for enhanced employee development programs to manage the shift toward an AI-driven workplace.