New Microsoft report shows Singapore employees deliver more while remaining in charge of AI tools
Employees in Singapore are delivering more output while retaining greater agency amid growing AI adoption in workplaces, according to a new report from Microsoft.
Microsoft's 2026 Work Trend Index revealed that employees in SIngapore are among the "world's most active and responsible users of AI at work."
"Singapore's workforce is among the most AI-ready in the world, with employees already using AI to unlock new ways of working while keeping human judgment at the centre," said Wee Luen Chia, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore.
According to the findings, 66% of AI users in the coutnry are producing work they could not have created a year ago, higher than the 58% global average.
Among Frontier Professionals, or the most advanced AI users, the figure rises to 82% in Singapore.
Despite this growing use of AI at work, the report found that Singapore employees are able to retain agency over their work, with 88% saying they remain responsible for thinking when using AI.
In fact, critical thinking has emerged as the top skill that Singaporean workers believe is the most important (52%) as AI becomes more integrated at work.
Leadership falls behind
But the growing momentum of AI adopting in Singapore is seemingly held back by leadership itself, which the report found is failing to keep pace with the technology.
Just 24% of employees said their leadership is clearly and consistently aligned on AI, below the 26% global benchmark.
Nearly half of employees also noted that their organisations tend to focus on current goals rather than redesign work with AI.
System-level support enables a broader and more confident use of AI, according to the report, citing the case of Frontier Professionals.
In Singapore, these AI users are more likely than their non-Frontier peers to say that their managers openly use AI, create space for experimentation, and encourage more ambitious work design.
"The opportunity now is for organisations to reinforce that momentum with clearer leadership alignment, stronger managerial signals, and operating models designed for reinvention. When that happens, AI becomes a catalyst for better decisions and sustainable advantage," Chia said.
