Singapore has solidified its position as a global artificial intelligence (AI) hub, according to new hiring data from Indeed. In August, the country recorded the world’s highest proportion of job postings referencing AI.
This unprecedented adoption rate sees roughly one in six local job postings, including direct references to machine learning, generative AI, and agentic AI tools.
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The rapid adoption reflects the island nation’s status as a premier tech hub within the Asia Pacific region, driven by the relative size of its technology sector.
Callam Pickering, Indeed’s APAC Senior Economist, stated: “We can see that the adoption of AI technologies continues to be rapid throughout Singapore, with one-in-six job postings mentioning these tools in August.”
He noted that usage is becoming more broad-based, with the share of AI postings exceeding 10 per cent in approximately half of all occupations during the month.
Sectoral deep dive: Where AI mentions dominate
The distribution of AI references highlights intense focus areas within the Singaporean economy. Roles in data & analytics led the adoption charge, featuring AI mentions in 57 per cent of postings. This was closely followed by roles in software development (39 per cent), scientific research (35 per cent), and industrial engineering (33 per cent).
However, this high adoption rate and signs of market normalisation exist in the underlying tech sector. While AI is increasingly featured, hiring for IT infrastructure, operations & support dropped by 17.6 per cent in the past three months, and postings for data and analytics decreased by 15.9 per cent during the same period. This suggests that while companies are integrating AI rapidly, the explosive post-pandemic tech hiring boom is correcting.
Resilience amid normalisation
Despite the slowdown in tech hiring, the overall decline in Singapore’s job market showed significant moderation in August. Job postings continued to fall, but the pace eased considerably, registering a drop of just 1.3 per cent. This decline was roughly one-third of the steeper 4.8 per cent drop observed in July, signalling a modest recovery in overall hiring activity.
While the volume of job postings is 16.2 per cent lower than the same time a year prior, the local job market demonstrates underlying resilience. Indeed data shows that the overall volume of opportunities remains 35 per cent above the pre-pandemic baseline established in February 2020. Furthermore, 92 per cent of all occupations still maintain posting levels above their respective pre-pandemic figures.
Pickering commented on the market dynamics, stating: “The post-pandemic job boom in Singapore was so large that even with three years of falling postings, job creation is strong enough to keep unemployment low. August’s figures show that while hiring demand is normalising, the overall volume of opportunities continues to reflect a healthy, resilient labour market.”
The essential services surge
While the tech sector adjusts, demand for certain essential services and care roles has increased sharply over the past three months.
Job postings in food preparation and service led this surge with a 10.7 per cent spike. Other non-tech sectors also recorded strong growth: legal roles rose by 8.8 per cent, personal care & home health increased by 8.1 per cent, and cleaning & sanitation saw a 6.6 per cent rise in postings.
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Conversely, significant declines were reported in specific care and specialist fields, including childcare (a substantial 46.5 per cent drop), veterinary roles (down 27.7 per cent), and dental opportunities (falling by 24.9 per cent).
Concluding his outlook, Pickering warned that although job creation is currently strong enough to maintain a low unemployment rate, “if job postings don’t begin to stabilise soon then further declines could lead to softer labour market conditions going forward.”
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