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SINGAPORE: As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and Singapore\u2019s economy transforms, \u201cnew and better jobs\u201d will be created, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Friday (May 1).<\/span><\/p>\n Addressing more than 1,600 union leaders and tripartite partners at the May Day Rally at Downtown East, Mr Wong acknowledged the “massive” impact of AI but pledged that every worker would be protected amid the change.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI cannot promise that there will be no disruption. Jobs will change. Some will disappear. And the pace of change will be faster than anything we have seen before,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBut this I can promise you: as our economy transforms, we will create new and better jobs. We may not be able to protect every job.\u00a0But we will protect every worker. Because in Singapore, every worker matters.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Wong pointed out that where entire teams were once needed for some workflows, one person can now do it all with AI agents.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese go far beyond simple chatbots. They don\u2019t just answer your questions. They can plan and execute complex tasks from start to finish, all on their own,\u201d he said. \u201cAI will not just improve productivity. It will disrupt and reshape entire industries.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Wong acknowledged that not everyone feels ready for the shift.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMany Singaporeans are anxious about AI. They ask: will it replace jobs? Will it be harder to keep up? Will the next generation still have good opportunities?\u201d he said. \u201cThese concerns are real.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n But Singapore has navigated “major technological transitions” before, he added. When he entered the workforce in the mid-1990s, tools like Excel were just taking off \u2013 offices needed fewer data entry clerks, but demand grew for accountants and analysts who could use the tools to create more value.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAI is far more powerful than spreadsheets. So the impact on our workplaces will be much greater.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Authorities will take “deliberate steps” to ensure the benefits of AI are shared broadly, including bolstering SkillsFuture and merging Workforce Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore into a new entity.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe government will provide the tools, the pathways, and the support. But we also need Singaporeans to step forward. Do not let anxiety or uncertainty hold you back from learning and using AI,\u201d said Mr Wong.<\/span><\/p>\nFEELING “ANXIOUS” ABOUT AI<\/h2>\n