Singapore (Commonwealth Union)_ Singapore continues to solidify its position as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), topping the world for the highest share of job postings that reference AI tools and skills, according to new hiring data from job platform Indeed. At the same time, it has secured the second spot globally for overall AI readiness while remaining the most AI-ready nation in the Asia-Pacific region. The rankings come from the latest Global AI Readiness Index by Salesforce, which measures how well countries are positioned to adopt and benefit from AI technologies.
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The index evaluates 16 countries across five key areas: governance, diffusion, innovation, investment, and talent, using 31 specific indicators. Singapore ranked first in AI regulation and adoption, second in its investment environment, and third in developing talent. The nation’s long-term focus on digital innovation and future-orientated policies is yielding results, especially as it seeks to emerge as a smart nation powered by next-generation technology.
AI skills in high demand across Singapore’s job market
In August, about one in six job listings in Singapore mentioned AI-related skills, including machine learning, generative AI, and emerging agent-based systems, said Callam Pickering, Indeed’s senior economist for the Asia-Pacific region. Despite a reduction in overall listing volumes, data and analytics roles showed the most demand, with 57% of listings mentioning AI. Software development was the second-highest profession, with 39% of job postings specifying the need for AI skills; the other skilled occupations were scientific research (35 %) and industrial engineering (33 %). Pickering noted that more than half of all occupations had job postings with mentions of AI at above 10% of all such postings, showcasing Singapore as a regional technology hub. This tendency reflects the country’s larger and more advanced tech sector than many of its global counterparts.
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Hiring activity relaxes, but signs of recovery emerge
While AI continues to gain traction, the overall job market in Singapore has seen some cooling. Job postings fell by 16.2% year-on-year in August, but there were signs of stabilization. Overall, there was a decrease in listings of only 1.3% for the month, which is a slower decline than July’s reported decline of 4.8%. This suggests a slight rebound in hiring conditions. There is growth in job postings in some different industries. For example, vital services were one way to increase demand. In the food preparation and service industry, job postings increased by 10.7% in the three months before the end of August. Other sectors with growth were legal (8.8%), personal care and home health (8.1%), and cleaning/sanitation (6.6%). In contrast, demand for childcare professionals declined by 46.5%, while veterinary and dental services saw a 27.7% and 24.9% decrease, respectively. The arts, sports, insurance, and banking industries also witnessed lower hiring.
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Global demand for AI talent on the rise
As AI technologies reshape industries worldwide, countries that can offer strong AI ecosystems are becoming more attractive to both investors and professionals. In addition to local laws, AI professionals are also seeking environments that encourage innovation, top-tier research institutes, and strong startup cultures. Accordingly, RemoFirst and DigitalDefynd have listed several nations that are leading the charge to hire top AI professionals. Here’s a summary of some of the top destinations for AI specialists, along with average salary expectations:
Singapore: US$65,000 to US$110,000
Germany: US$80,000 to $130,000
India: US$10,000 to US$25,000
Canada: US$90,000 to $150,000
Poland: US$42,000 to US$96,000
South Korea: US$40,000 to $70,000
France: US$50,000 to US$90,000
Brazil: US$20,000 to $40,000
United Kingdom: US$60,000 to US$120,000
United States: US$120,000 to $200,000
AI-focused strategies, talent-attractive regulatory environments, and an increasing level of digitalization make Singapore an increasingly top destination for senior machine learning engineers, senior leads in AI product development, and specialists working in regulated AI settings. As the current AI landscape continues its global expansion, competition will increase between top AI players, making tech-forward nations like Singapore a strong player in determining the future of work.
