Singaporean employers are at the forefront of adopting Generative AI (GenAI) technologies, with one in every 117 job postings in July explicitly mentioning GenAI, including terms like ChatGPT.

According to data from global matching and hiring platform Indeed, these postings have seen a remarkable 5.9-fold increase compared to a year ago, placing Singapore ahead of its global counterparts in integrating AI into the workplace.

The integration of GenAI is particularly evident in data analytics roles, where 9.7% of job postings mention AI technologies. Other sectors driving this trend include medical information (3.3%), architecture (3.3%), scientific research (3.2%), and software development (2.7%).

"Singapore is rapidly emerging as a global leader in GenAI adoption, outpacing many other markets in integrating this technology into the workplace," said Callam Pickering, APAC Senior Economist at Indeed. "With GenAI job postings soaring nearly sixfold in just a year, Singapore is demonstrating a strong commitment to harnessing cutting-edge innovations. This swift adoption is a testament to Singapore's commitment to becoming a center of excellence for AI while also shaping the future of work in a competitive global landscape."

Despite the strong uptake of GenAI in specific sectors, it is notable that 38% of occupational sectors in Singapore still do not have any job postings mentioning GenAI. This indicates that while certain areas are advancing quickly, the broader market has yet to fully embrace these technologies.

Alongside the surge in GenAI-related postings, Singapore's overall job market showed signs of recovery in July, with job postings increasing by 1.6% compared to June. However, they remain 11.2% lower than a year ago. Notably, job postings in 24% of sectors are now more than double their pre-pandemic levels, highlighting the resilience of Singapore's labor market.

Certain sectors saw significant growth over the past three months, with marketing roles leading the way (+49.8%). This growth was so pronounced that, without the boost from the marketing sector, overall job postings would have declined. Other strong performers included dental (+21.0%), veterinary (+20.3%), and medical information (+12.6%).

Conversely, some sectors experienced notable declines, particularly insurance (-27.7%), security and public safety (-26.3%), software development (-24.9%), and nursing (-23.7%). Despite these declines, job posting volumes remain robust across all sectors.

"Despite economic challenges, Singapore's labor market remains impressively resilient, with unemployment staying low at just 2.0%," added Pickering. "Although competition for talent has eased slightly from last year, it remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, leading to persistent skill and talent shortages.

The impressive rise in GenAI adoption underscores Singapore's role as a frontrunner in the global effort to integrate AI into the workforce. As businesses continue to explore and implement AI-driven solutions, the demand for specialised talent is poised to grow even more."