Singapore ranks second globally for AI workforce adoption but see leadership lag on strategy, report says

SINGAPORE, June 18 — Employees in Singapore are among the world’s most active and responsible users of artificial intelligence (AI), Microsoft’s 2026 Work Trend Index showed Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

Microsoft said in a statement that its study found that 66 per cent of AI users in Singapore are producing work they could not have created a year ago, exceeding the global average of 58 per cent. Among advanced “Frontier Professionals,” the figure rises to 82 per cent.

Singapore workers are also showing strong ownership when using AI, with 88 per cent saying they remain responsible for the thinking behind their work, slightly above the global average of 86 per cent. More than half of respondents identified critical thinking as the most important skill in an AI-driven workplace.

The report, however, highlighted a gap between employee adoption and organisational readiness.

While 78 per cent of AI users in Singapore recognise the urgency of adapting quickly to AI, only 24 per cent believe their leadership teams are clearly aligned on AI strategy, below the global average of 26 per cent.

Overall, Singapore ranked second globally on Microsoft’s AI Diffusion Index, reflecting widespread adoption of AI across the workforce.

“Singapore’s workforce is among the most AI-ready in the world, with employees already using AI to unlock new ways of working while keeping human judgment at the center,” said Wee Luen Chia, managing director of Microsoft Singapore. — Bernama-Xinhua