PM Wong Warns AI Could Break ‘Bottom Rung’ of Career Ladder

AI could leave young workers with fewer opportunities to learn on the job, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned.

Lawrence Wong He raised the concern during a dialogue with DBS Group CEO Tan Su Shan at the DBS Asia Future Forward Conference on 12 October.

Wong said that while AI can improve productivity, it could also replace routine tasks that help new employees develop their skills and judgement.

These include drafting speeches, taking meeting minutes and preparing presentations.

“And AI will replace all of that routine work but we should be careful not to automate away the learning that comes from it,”

he said.

Singapore Studies AI’s Impact on Workplace Training

During the discussion, Tan highlighted how DBS has AI agents that can handle work involved in preparing credit memos, a process that previously took weeks of financial analysis and research.

This raised questions about how junior bankers would gain practical experience if AI took over such tasks.

Wong expressed concern that the “bottom rung of the career ladder” could be broken, leaving young people without sufficient training.

Singapore is studying the impact across professions including banking, law, medicine and engineering.

The government is also working with its tripartite partners to assess whether new training programmes or schemes are needed.

Wong urged employers to take a more deliberate approach to training and mentoring younger staff.

He also cautioned against overreliance on AI in education, stressing that critical thinking, sound judgement and a strong grasp of fundamentals remain essential.

Singapore Seeks to Balance AI Adoption With Worker Protection

Wong acknowledged that AI adoption could lead to retrenchments but urged companies to manage job losses fairly.

He said employers should provide advance notice so unions can help affected workers retrain and find new jobs, alongside government support programmes.

He argued that allowing the transition to take place over time would give workers and businesses more opportunity to adapt.

Beyond employment, Wong outlined three principles guiding Singapore’s approach to AI: safety and security, human accountability and ensuring that the benefits are widely shared.

“We will never compromise safety. We will never compromise critical systems and sensitive information,”

he said.

He also stressed that humans must remain accountable for critical decisions as businesses adopt the technology.

“We want technology to translate into better lives for Singaporeans. So, we are not trying to be an AI-driven society. We are trying to be a better society enabled by AI,”

Wong said.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by DBS via LinkedIn

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