Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the Singapore government may not be able to protect every job amid disruption from artificial intelligence [1].
The admission highlights the scale of economic shift as AI reshapes entire industries. While specific roles may disappear, the government aims to ensure the workforce remains employable through a transition toward new and better opportunities [2].
Speaking on Friday, May 1, 2026 [1], at the May Day Rally, Wong addressed members of the National Trades Union Congress. He said that the focus of the state must shift from preserving outdated positions to supporting the people who held them [2].
"We may not be able to protect every job. But we will protect every worker," Wong said [2].
The Prime Minister said that AI is fundamentally altering the professional landscape, requiring a transformation of the national economy to remain competitive [3]. He said that Singapore must ready itself to succeed in this new environment [3].
This strategy involves a focus on creating new, higher-quality employment opportunities to replace those lost to automation [2]. The government intends to facilitate this transition by providing the necessary tools, and training, for workers to adapt to an AI-driven market [3].
"Singapore must ready ourselves to succeed in this new environment," Wong said [3].
The rally served as a platform to communicate the necessity of agility in the face of rapid technological advancement. By prioritizing the worker over the specific job title, the administration seeks to mitigate the social and economic risks associated with mass automation [1].
“"We may not be able to protect every job. But we will protect every worker."”
This shift in rhetoric signals a move away from traditional job preservation toward a model of lifelong employability. By explicitly stating that specific jobs are not guaranteed, the Singaporean government is preparing the public for a volatile labor market where skill adaptability is the primary form of security against AI-driven displacement.
