PM Wong's National Day Message 2026: AI Must Raise Productivity and Create Better Jobs

Singapore's AI story this year has been one of booming semiconductor demand and headline GDP numbers — but the people powering that growth have been quietly anxious about what the technology means for their jobs. That tension sat at the centre of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's National Day Message 2026, telecast on Aug 8, the eve of Singapore's 61st National Day.

In the message, recorded at the National Stadium, Wong acknowledged that AI is already transforming industries and changing the way Singaporeans work — and that it is causing anxiety among workers worried about their livelihoods. The government's answer was unambiguous: "We will make full use of AI to raise productivity and create better jobs. At the same time, we will invest in skills and training, so that every worker can adapt, grow and thrive." He framed the approach as embracing new technology "on our own terms" — tools that must remain instruments serving people, communities and society, rather than ends in themselves.

The reassurance comes against a backdrop of rapid AI-fuelled growth. Singapore's economy expanded 5.7% year on year in the second quarter, powered in large part by global demand for AI-related electronics, with the semiconductor sector a standout beneficiary, and the labour market remains stable with new jobs still being created. Yet the message also acknowledged external turbulence — the Middle East crisis, rising trade barriers and weakened trust between nations — and noted a fresh package of measures to help households cope with continued uncertainty.

For the tech ecosystem, the speech signals continuity with a sharper edge: the government is refreshing its approach to industry and trade and "investing heavily in our people" after completing a comprehensive review of economic strategies earlier this year. The skills-first emphasis echoes this week's MOE announcement that every teacher must complete compulsory AI training by 2027, and it sets the stage for the National Day Rally later this month, where Wong promised to share more on a major review of family support, including the costs of raising children and access to affordable childcare.

Why it matters for Singapore: The National Day Message is the government's clearest annual statement of intent, and this year it deliberately placed AI and worker anxiety side by side. For businesses, the takeaway is that AI adoption will keep being actively encouraged — but with an explicit expectation that productivity gains translate into better jobs, not just leaner headcounts. For workers, the pledge to invest in skills and training doubles down on the SkillsFuture model as the primary buffer against displacement. The real test comes at the Rally, when the family measures and the industry-trade refresh will show whether the reassurance carries substance.