Singapore bets on AI to drive next phase of growth

Advanced manufacturing, connectivity and logistics will anchor the plan.

Singapore’s latest budget signals a shift in economic strategy, with the government betting on artificial intelligence (AI) and industry collaboration to drive growth whilst tightening foreign workforce rules.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the city-state would focus on building industry clusters powered by AI, linking companies across sectors to develop technologies that could compete globally.

“Singapore’s next wave of growth will not be defined by isolated industries, but by interconnected industry clusters,” Johanes Candra, a partner for business incentives advisory at Ernst & Young Solutions LLP (EY), told Singapore Business Review.

Companies with related strengths will work together to develop and scale innovations, he said in an emailed reply to questions. 

Wong said advanced manufacturing, connectivity and logistics, finance and healthcare would anchor the government’s AI strategy.

The sectors together contributed more than two percentage points to Singapore’s 5% economic growth in 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The government will also establish a National AI Council headed by Wong to oversee the development and execution of AI missions, which aim to accelerate technology adoption and strengthen Singapore’s position as a global innovation hub.

Lee Bo Han, a partner for R&D and incentive advisory at KPMG in Singapore, said the initiatives could boost productivity by building on the country’s existing industrial strengths.

“The missions are part of a coordinated effort to enhance Singapore’s AI strategy,” he said in an emailed reply to questions. “These initiatives show that the government recognises AI’s huge potential to refresh economic growth.”

Amaresh Mohan, chief risk and compliance officer at Nium Pte. Ltd., said the focus on vital sectors should prompt businesses in other industries to act independently.

“They should start with high-confidence use cases like risk controls, customer operations, finance automation, and compliance monitoring, and make sure governance is strong,” he said in an email.

The budget also tightens foreign worker rules, including higher minimum salaries for some work pass holders and a higher pay benchmark used to set foreign worker limits.

Analysts said the measures signal a broader shift away from labour-driven growth towards a higher-productivity economy.

Rahul Nambiar, CEO at Botsync Pte. Ltd., said the budget’s focus on AI encourages companies to modernise rather than maintain legacy operating models.

“Whilst the adjustment may create short-term pressure, it strengthens the long-term competitiveness of Singapore’s industrial base,” he said in a separate email.

But the tighter labour policies could increase operating pressure on manpower-heavy sectors such as construction, manufacturing, logistics, food and beverage, and hospitality, said Barbara Kinle, a partner for personal tax and global mobility services at KPMG.

“Strategic workforce planning will be critical,” she said. Companies need to identify where foreign expertise delivers the most value whilst strengthening efforts to develop local talent, she added.

For businesses, the policy changes point to a structural shift in Singapore’s economic model, Mohan said.

“To mitigate the impact, companies will need to take a forward-looking and integrated approach,” he said. “Workforce planning must become more strategic, with compliance considerations built in from the outset.”