Microsoft: Singapore workers using AI more actively and responsibly than global peers

SINGAPORE: Singapore workers were found to be among the world’s most active and responsible users of artificial intelligence (AI) at work, according to findings from Microsoft’s 2026 Work Trend Index released on Tuesday (June 16).

The report found that nearly seven in 10 (66%) Singaporean AI users said they were “producing work they could not have created a year ago”, compared with 58% of their global peers. The figure rose to 82% among advanced AI users.

Nearly nine in 10 (88%) also said they remained responsible for the thinking involved when using the technology, slightly above the global average of 86%. In fact, more than half (52%) of users in the city-state said critical thinking was the most important skill when it comes to using AI.

Still, while 78% of Singaporean AI users recognised the urgency of adapting to AI quickly, only 24% said their company leaders were clearly and consistently aligned on the technology — which the report described as a “Transformation Paradox”.

Nearly half (48%) also said they were more focused on their current goals than experimenting with new ways of working using AI.

Microsoft Singapore Managing Director Wee Luen Chia described the Singapore workforce “among the most AI-ready in the world, with employees already using AI to unlock new ways of working while keeping human judgment at the centre.” 

“The opportunity now is for organisations to reinforce that momentum with clearer leadership alignment, stronger managerial signals, and operating models designed for reinvention. When that happens, AI becomes a catalyst for better decisions and sustainable advantage,” he added.

Singapore was ranked second globally on Microsoft’s AI Diffusion Index, which measured the share of people aged 15 to 64 who had used a generative AI product. /TISG

Read also: More Singapore workers are using their annual leave than their regional peers