Jasmin Lau: Don’t mistake a quiet workforce for an agreeable one on AI

Employers adopting AI need to tell workers what may change, not wait for staff to raise objections, Acting Minister for Manpower and Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Jasmin Lau said at the 17 September 2026 launch of SG AI Xchange. She cautioned companies against taking “a quiet workforce for an agreeable workforce.” 14

Explain the plans—and the reasons behind them

Lau urged employers to be open about what they intend to automate, how affected workers could be retrained, and whether hiring may slow or retrenchments may follow. That candour should extend beyond AI: if a weaker business outlook is driving a workforce decision, employers should say so rather than leave workers to guess. Clear communication matters for trust. 2711

Her warning about silence was practical. Workers may not push back even when they are worried; they still want to understand what business leaders are planning and what it could mean for their jobs. 13

Take concerns about AI seriously

Lau described a “groundswell” of concern among some workers and younger students who fear AI could take away jobs and aspirations. She also noted that some associate AI with environmental harm. Those sentiments, she said, should not be ignored as Singapore expands AI adoption. 123

The goal she outlined was not adoption for its own sake, but responsible use that creates value for enterprises and good jobs for workers. SG AI Xchange was launched as a forum for organisations to share practical experience with adopting AI. 1315

The wider push on skills and public services

Other initiatives announced around the same period show how Singapore is approaching the skills side of that transition. On 16 September, more than 200 AI-related training courses were rolled out with six-month subscriptions to selected premium AI tools for eligible Singapore citizens. 20 Separately, a government announcement dated 18 September set a goal of equipping more than 150,000 public officers with practical digital, data and AI capabilities by the end of 2028 to improve their work and services to citizens. That public-service target came in a separate announcement, not the 17 September SG AI Xchange address. 19