Singapore employers struggle to fill tech roles amid AI

General Assembly has released its Singapore findings from the fourth edition of its State of Tech Talent 2026 report. The study found that 95% of employers in Singapore face challenges hiring for tech roles.

The survey points to persistent difficulty filling technology positions, even as employers say the broader talent pool has expanded.

Data-focused jobs are the hardest to recruit for. Some 58% of employers identified data analytics and data science roles as the most difficult to fill, suggesting the sharpest shortages are in areas tied to AI adoption and data use.

Singapore was included in the report for the first time, allowing comparison with trends in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Skills shift

Hiring pressures have eased slightly, but the market has not moved beyond shortages. Instead, employers are adjusting their response, making greater use of flexible staffing models and placing more emphasis on training workers in AI-related skills.

The findings also indicate a shift in how responsibility for AI training is viewed. More than 80% of respondents in Singapore said organisations should take at least partial responsibility for AI upskilling. At the same time, the report described a growing expectation that workers should proactively build their own AI literacy.

This shift comes as companies try to align workforce development more closely with operational needs. In-house training is becoming more common in Singapore, though employers may still face limits in scale, speed, and specialist knowledge when skill requirements change quickly.

Cost remains a significant barrier to broader retraining efforts. Some 58% of organisations in Singapore cited cost as an obstacle to scaling training programmes, a higher share than in the US and UK, even though 69% of employers said upskilling would have a significant impact by 2026.

Automation impact

Automation is also reshaping employment, though the report suggests sentiment in Singapore is less anxious than in some other markets. More than half of employers said some roles have already been automated, while others expect change to happen more gradually.

This more measured outlook may reflect confidence in reskilling and broader workforce transformation. It also points to a labour market in which employers are adapting to AI without treating automation as an immediate replacement for large sections of staff.

Changing models

Many organisations are also looking beyond traditional hiring. Nearly three-quarters of employers are outsourcing or planning to do so, indicating broader use of cross-border hiring and project-based work to manage skills shortages.

That approach could affect how people enter the sector. Flexible workforce models may create new routes into technology careers, including for women, by allowing more adaptable forms of career progression.

It also suggests early-career workers will face a different set of expectations. Entry-level candidates are likely to need hybrid skills that combine technical understanding with AI-adjacent knowledge, while freelance workers may benefit from rising demand for project-based assignments.

The report places Singapore within a broader discussion about labour market readiness as AI tools become more widely used. Rather than a simple shortage of workers, the findings suggest the issue is increasingly whether available candidates and existing employees have the specific skills employers now need.

General Assembly linked that shift to the wider transformation of the local economy, as businesses adapt to changes in digital work and data use. Employers are moving from a focus on headcount to a focus on readiness.

Sima Sadaat, Country Manager, General Assembly Singapore, said the findings reflect a broader change in attitudes toward AI skills.

"The findings highlight a clear shift in how organisations and individuals are approaching AI skills, with growing recognition that upskilling must be a shared responsibility. In Singapore's tech-driven economy, the ability to apply AI effectively is essential across roles, not just in technical functions," said Sadaat. "At General Assembly, we are seeing both employers and individuals take greater ownership of upskilling, which is a welcome trend. Our hands-on workshops are bridging this gap by equipping professionals with immediately applicable AI and data capabilities," added Sadaat. "We hope that companies in Singapore will find this report useful as they look at their talent strategies," added Sadaat.