More Singapore finance workers using AI daily, but many still fear job impact

SINGAPORE: According to the Global Talent Trends 2026 report from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), 48% of professionals working in the finance sector in Singapore are afraid that artificial intelligence (AI) will affect their jobs.

“Concerns around the use of AI in finance and accountancy recruitment emerge as one of the standout issues this year,” said Jamie Lyon, the Head of Skills, Sectors and Technology at ACCA.

“The use of AI by organisations for recruitment has to be carefully considered. It should be used to augment, but not replace, human judgment. Strong governance, transparency, and regulation around its use in the future is fundamentally important to ensure recruitment processes are fair and unbiased,” the report reads.

In Singapore, over four in five (81%) say they are confident that they can learn and apply new AI technology. The report showed that 51% of the respondents from Singapore are using AI in their work daily.

Eleven thousand individuals from 160 countries working in accountancy and finance roles participated in the biggest yearly talent survey for the industry, answering questions on topics that range from career ambitions, AI concerns, sustainability, social impact, intergenerational collaboration, entrepreneurial ambitions, and returning to the office, ACCA said in a statement on Wednesday (May 27).

Interestingly, the number of finance professionals who say they aspire to become entrepreneurs is growing. Across the globe, the figure is now at 48%, up from 45% in 2025. In Singapore, the change is even more stark, from 31% last year to 42% in the latest survey.

Perhaps even more striking is that finance professionals desire careers that are purpose-driven, and a significant number of the respondents from Singapore (70%) say that social issues and human rights are important to them. While 54% said they wanted jobs tied to social impact, 63% said they aspire for finance roles that are focused on the environment.

The number of finance professionals in Singapore who expressed these views is higher than in other developed countries. For example, in Australia, the percentage of respondents who said they have ambitions for finance roles with environmental remits is 52%, and in the United Kingdom it’s 47%.

“The data from Singapore reflects a workforce navigating uncertainty around technology, purpose, and career progression,” noted Maurice Cheong, the head of Singapore, Australia, New Zealand & Oceania at ACCA. /TISG

Read also: There’s a new way to climb the finance corporate ladder, ACCA says