AI, deglobalisation and geopolitics to reshape jobs and growth in Singapore, warns Ng Chee Meng

Singapore must embrace innovation while ensuring workers are protected through a fair and just transition, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said on 22 January 2026, as global disruptions reshape economic growth and the nature of work.

Speaking at the 10^th St Gallen Symposium Singapore Forum, Mr Ng said technological change, geopolitical uncertainty and economic fragmentation were transforming labour markets worldwide, requiring a calibrated national response.

“Since we live in this world, we might as well embrace the disruption. Look upon the opportunities and seize those opportunities,” he said.

What Singapore needs to do

On geopolitics, Mr Ng said Singapore needed a clear and consistent approach to safeguarding its security and national interests, stressing the importance of diplomacy, international partnerships and a credible defence posture in an increasingly fragmented global landscape.

Economically, he said Singapore must move quickly to turn disruption into an advantage by accelerating the adoption of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) across businesses and the workforce, to raise productivity and create good, sustainable jobs.

Crucially, Mr Ng said these efforts must be anchored in a fair and just transition, with policies that cushion workers through periods of change, prevent inequalities from widening, and ensure that workers’ voices continue to shape national outcomes.

Four key disruptive forces

Geopolitical instability

Mr Ng described geopolitical instability as the defining disruption facing the world today, warning that the global order established after the Second World War is under strain.

“The international order has shifted from peace to pieces, there is no exaggeration in it. Like what Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has mentioned [at the World Economic Forum 2026], it is a rupture, not a transition.”

He added that rising tensions and strategic competition among major powers were creating a more fragmented and unpredictable international environment.

Shift from globalisation to deglobalisation

Closely linked to geopolitical instability is the shift from globalisation to deglobalisation, Mr Ng said.

He noted that while the global economy has so far weathered this transition, its longer-term implications cannot be ignored.

“These convergence of great powers through strategic competition and the new economic realities is a fundamental shift, like what Prime Minister Mark Carney has mentioned [at the World Economic Forum], and it won’t go away anytime soon,” he said.

Technological disruption

Turning to technology, Mr Ng noted that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a general-purpose technology, comparable to electricity or computing, with the potential to transform every sector.

While it promises significant productivity gains, he cautioned that it will also reshape and disrupt knowledge-based professions such as law, accountancy, and medicine.

“On one hand, you will have great possibilities. On the other, potential disruption,” he said.

Demographic shifts

Mr Ng also highlighted demographic change as a major force of disruption, pointing to Singapore’s rapidly ageing population.

He noted that one in four Singaporeans will be over the age of 65 by 2030, adding that Singapore’s economy must quickly transform to meet the challenges of an aging workforce and population.

Implications of these disruptions

These disruptions facing the world carry three major implications for Singapore, according to Mr Ng.

First, they raise questions about how Singapore safeguards its national security and diplomatic space in an increasingly fragmented and unstable global environment.

Second, he said Singapore must ensure it remains economically relevant amid shifting trade patterns and rapid technological change, particularly as AI reshapes industries and jobs.

Third, he warned that disruption could strain social cohesion, with the risk of widening inequality and deeper societal divisions if transition pains are not carefully managed.

Taken together, Mr Ng said Singapore’s response must balance geopolitical realism, economic adaptation, and a fair and just transition that ensures workers are not left behind.

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