Singapore president warns AI is hurting graduate job prospects
Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said governments must address how artificial intelligence is reducing demand for entry-level jobs for fresh graduates. Speaking at IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, he warned of a potential "new divergence" between developing and advanced economies du
Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has warned that governments worldwide must urgently address how the rise of artificial intelligence is reducing demand for fresh graduates seeking their first jobs.
Speaking at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok on Monday, Shanmugaratnam said the evidence of AI's impact on entry-level employment was already clear, particularly in sectors most exposed to the technology.
"There is a particular problem that we have to address very soon... and that is that, the first rung in employment, your first job upon graduation, is now seeing less demand," he said.
Shanmugaratnam said the world should also avoid a situation in which a "new divergence" forms between developing and advanced economies because of disruptions caused by AI.
His comments come as governments and international organisations grapple with the potential for artificial intelligence to reshape labour markets, with younger workers and new entrants seen as especially vulnerable.