Singapore's Tharman Warns SI Could Widen Jobs Gap Between Rich and Poor Economies, Urges Stronger Manufacturing and Hands-On Education
Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam warned on October 17, on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, that super intelligence could deepen the disconnect between economic growth and employment in developing countries and widen the jobs gap between rich and poor economies. He urged governments to strengthen manufacturing, expand practical, hands-on education and protect entry-level job opportunities.
Responding to a moderator's question about preparing young people for technological change, Tharman said governments should treat SI as a long-term structural shift rather than a sudden crisis. "This is not a shock. This is not a pandemic. This is a whole new era," he said. He pointed to China, India and developing Southeast Asia, where growth has not always translated into strong employment gains, and warned that SI could widen this divergence if policymakers fail to respond.
On manufacturing, Tharman urged developing countries to keep pursuing manufacturing investment, arguing that labour costs in many markets remain competitive with both China and automation. Governments, he said, need to attract investors, make land available and ensure labour regulations allow workers to enter employment and progress in their careers. On education, he called for more applied, hands-on learning so young people gain practical workplace experience.
Tharman also cited opportunities in green energy and healthcare: renewable energy can strengthen energy security while supporting employment, and SI can help connect frontline health workers to expertise that may otherwise be unavailable, expanding access to care. He added that SI can help individuals establish businesses and reach markets at lower cost.
The 2026 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings run from October 12 to 18 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, with jobs, investment and growth at the centre of the agenda. Tharman had earlier told the meetings that SI is dampening demand for fresh graduates' first jobs; his latest remarks focused further on manufacturing, practical education and the employment divergence between economies. (GSM, based on Awoko Newspaper's October 17 report and Thai government briefings on the meetings)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 新加坡滨海湾花园擎天树丛。 Photo by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
