Singapore Pushes AI Adoption Across Southeast Asia
Singapore will chair ASEAN in 2027 and work on regional AI governance and adoption amid concerns about uneven impacts on jobs.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
Live Poll
Do you think AI will make your job more secure over the next few years?
At the 41st ASEAN Roundtable, Jasmin Lau said no ASEAN member state has figured out how to manage AI's impact on jobs. Singapore, which will chair ASEAN in 2027, plans to pursue regional AI governance and wider adoption during its chairmanship.
Why it matters
Uneven AI adoption across enterprises could create a 'two-speed society' in which larger companies are better placed to use the technology than smaller ones. Small and medium-sized enterprises employ the majority of Singapore's workers, making their ability to adopt AI central to economic security.
Singapore's updated National AI Strategy names connectivity, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and finance as priority sectors. Singapore plans to develop common testing tools for agentic AI, but the stub does not specify their technical design or timeline.
The players
ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
A Singapore-based research institute that hosted the 41st ASEAN Roundtable where the AI panel was held.
Jasmin Lau
A speaker at the 41st ASEAN Roundtable who stated that no ASEAN member state has yet figured out how to manage AI's impact on jobs.
The details
Speakers at the 41st ASEAN Roundtable, hosted by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, argued that AI should be used to solve real-world problems and raise productivity rather than only summarising reports or acting as a search engine. Countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have captured most foreign direct investment into the regional AI value chain, while the Philippines and Cambodia have struggled to attract it.
Timeline
Earlier in 2026: Singapore updated its National AI Strategy.
Thursday, Nov 5, 2026: Panel discussion held at the 41st ASEAN Roundtable.
2027: Singapore assumes the ASEAN chairmanship.
Under the Hood
ASEAN's 11 member states have historically coordinated through regional frameworks, and Singapore's 2027 chairmanship extends that model to shared AI governance and adoption. The region's uneven investment pattern, with Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam drawing most AI value-chain capital, tests whether that coordination can narrow gaps.
Workers at small and medium-sized enterprises, which employ most of Singapore's workforce, may see AI adoption reshape their roles depending on whether their employers can afford the technology. Regional efforts to spread adoption could shape which jobs and skills stay in demand across Southeast Asia.
The takeaway
Uneven AI adoption could widen the gap between large and small firms, so the pace at which smaller businesses gain access to AI tools will shape how broadly the benefits are shared. Watch how Singapore's 2027 ASEAN chairmanship handles common AI testing and adoption support.
What happens next
Singapore assumes the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027 and will pursue regional AI governance and adoption during that term.
Further reading
Explore more on Artificial Intelligence as Singapore prepares to lead ASEAN's regional AI agenda.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Business Times.
Live Poll
Do you think AI will make your job more secure over the next few years?
