Singapore’s prime minister has tried to turn one of the anxieties of the AI age into a promise. In his National Day message, Lawrence Wong pledged that the country will harness the technology to create better jobs rather than let it hollow out the workforce.
He did not pretend the worry was imaginary. Wong acknowledged that many workers fear for their livelihoods as AI reshapes industries, a candour that set his message apart from the boosterism politicians often reach for when talking about new technology.
His framing leaned on Singapore’s familiar theme of control amid chaos. “We cannot control events beyond our shores,” he said, “but we can control how we respond,” positioning the government as an active hand rather than a bystander to disruption.
On AI specifically, he was matter-of-fact about the stakes. “AI is already transforming industries and changing the way we work,” Wong said, before setting out the two-part bargain at the heart of his pitch to nervous workers.
That bargain tries to hold productivity and protection together. “We will make full use of AI to raise productivity and create better jobs,” he said, adding that the country would “invest in skills and training, so that every worker can adapt, grow and thrive.”
