Singapore workers embrace AI faster than global peers, but fewer feel secure in their jobs: PwC survey

[SINGAPORE] Workers in Singapore are using artificial intelligence (AI) more than their global peers, but their confidence in job security has fallen sharply over the past two years, while confidence globally has held steady.

In PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2026, 69 per cent of Singapore respondents said they were moderately to extremely confident about their job security over the next 12 months, down from 72 per cent in 2025 and 84 per cent in 2024.

Globally, the figure was 84 per cent in 2026, against 85 per cent in 2025 and 84 per cent in 2024.

PwC said confidence among Singapore respondents was “notably higher” among daily gen AI users, at 75 per cent, and lower, at 61 per cent, among those who had not used AI at work in the past year.

The Singapore edition, released on Monday (Oct 12), draws on 1,000 local respondents, out of 49,364 workers across 48 territories surveyed in May and June 2026.

Singapore remains ahead on adoption compared to global counterparts. Some 74 per cent of local respondents used AI at work in the previous 12 months, up from 69 per cent in 2025 and above the global average of 64 per cent.

Daily use of generative AI (gen AI) at work stood at 28 per cent, compared with 22 per cent globally, while 12 per cent used AI agents daily, versus 10 per cent worldwide.

Weekly and daily gen AI use rose to 45 per cent from 41 per cent a year ago.

“Singapore’s strong AI adoption is unsurprising given its position as a highly competitive economy and continued investments in AI upskilling,” PwC said in the report.

Workers also reported tangible benefits. Some 72 per cent said AI improved the quality of their work and 63 per cent said it enhanced creativity. But only 32 per cent said it helps with some of the most complex and difficult parts of their job.

Most also said they felt empowered (74 per cent), confident (73 per cent) and energised (71 per cent) about the increasing use of AI at work.

Concern about the accuracy or quality of AI outputs was the biggest barrier to using AI more at work, flagged by 32 per cent of Singapore respondents versus 25 per cent globally.

PwC said the barriers match its experience with client organisations. Many have yet to set a clear charter on AI use, and adoption often rests on individual initiative or specific pilots rather than being embedded in formal processes and workflows.

The consultancy added that the gains from AI are taking place against a backdrop of “rising cost pressures, evolving job requirements, and growing concern about AI’s impact on jobs”.

“As a result, many workers are navigating a period of increased uncertainty about their future at work,” it said.

“Our research shows that Singapore workers are already seeing tangible benefits from AI, yet many remain uncertain about what it means for their future,” said PwC Singapore executive chairman and chief executive Marcus Lam.

Biggest threats

Economic volatility was the top threat to job security over the next three years for Singapore respondents, with 60 per cent rating it a moderate or major threat, versus 57 per cent globally.

Meanwhile, AI taking on more tasks came second at 53 per cent, compared with 44 per cent globally.

Conflicts between countries (51 per cent), robotics and automation taking on more tasks (48 per cent) and work moving to lower-cost locations (47 per cent) rounded out the five threats listed in the survey, with all three rated higher than the global averages.

At the same time, AI appears to be adding strain. About 50 per cent of Singapore respondents said AI had increased the complexity of their work and 46 per cent said it had added to their workload, while 62 per cent said they were using more skills in their jobs.

Feeling fatigued or burnt out was the top factor limiting productivity at 36 per cent, nine percentage points above the global figure of 27 per cent.

Some 58 per cent of Singapore respondents said they had experienced more workplace change in the past year, in line with the global average, but 45 per cent found the amount and speed of change difficult to manage, compared with 42 per cent globally.

Against this backdrop, pay and benefits were the top job priority for 65 per cent of Singapore respondents, ahead of the global average of 57 per cent.

More respondents said they planned to seek a pay rise in the next 12 months (54 per cent versus 50 per cent in 2025) than to change employer (38 per cent versus 43 per cent).

Workers also reported gaps in preparing for the future. Only 67 per cent of Singapore respondents said they understand the skills needed for the future, below the global 70 per cent, while 65 per cent said they have access to the learning and development resources they need, against 70 per cent globally.

PwC said Singapore’s strong foundation in AI adoption presents an opportunity to become a model for “human-centric transformation”. By investing in meaningful upskilling organisations can help turn uncertainty into confidence.

Alongside the survey’s release, PwC Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to help companies create better jobs and career prospects for workers as they adopt AI.

It will join the NTUC AI-Ready SG initiative as “a lead multiplier”, a partner that helps NTUC reach more businesses and support their transformation.

“AI adoption must go hand in hand with job redesign, so that workers can take on higher-value work and gain better wages and work prospects,” said NTUC deputy secretary-general Desmond Tan.