Morgan McKinley’s new 2026 Global AI Report suggests AI is becoming part of everyday working life, with both candidates and employers in Singapore making significant use of the technology.
The report also highlights how AI is beginning to influence workforce planning among Singapore employers surveyed. Some 20 per cent describe their long-term workforce strategy as “automation-first”, compared with 5 per cent globally, while a further 20 per cent expect to recruit fewer graduates as AI automates some entry-level work.
47 per cent of Singapore candidates use AI to optimise their CVs for applicant tracking systems (ATS), compared with 35 per cent globally, while 63 per cent use AI to write or refine CVs and cover letters and 49 per cent use it to prepare for interviews. A further 29 per cent use AI to accelerate their job applications and apply for more jobs.
Employers surveyed are also using AI extensively across recruitment. 50 per cent use AI for CV screening and analysis, while 50 per cent use AI for interview video or transcript analysis. A further 17 per cent use AI for passive talent sourcing, while 33 per cent say they do not currently use AI in hiring and 33 per cent permit candidates to use AI during the recruitment process.
Candidates in Singapore also show relatively high acceptance of AI in recruitment. Some 13 per cent say they would be significantly less likely to apply to an employer using AI screening, compared with 23 per cent globally, while 55 per cent say they trust AI when it is used alongside human oversight. Just 14 per cent say they do not trust AI in recruitment decisions, compared with 22 per cent globally, while 47 per cent say they would be their decision to apply would not be affected by the use of AI screening.
Globally, 62 per cent of employees surveyed use AI daily at work and a further 15 per cent use it weekly, highlighting how quickly AI has moved from experimentation into routine workplace use across chatbots, meeting and scheduling tools, document and presentation tools, and coding and data analysis.
AI is also changing how employees spend their time, with 70 per cent saying AI makes their work easier. Globally, 27 per cent report spending more time on strategic planning and decision making, while 24 per cent spend more time reviewing and validating AI-generated output.
Globally, concern about job replacement remains high, with 46 per cent of employees worried that AI could replace their role. However, among employers surveyed, 64 per cent said AI has had no effect on headcount, while 7 per cent reported reductions and 13 per cent said it had slowed planned expansion. Among employers, 55 per cent reported improvements in operational performance, with operational efficiency and workflow speed cited by 63 per cent as their leading reason for adopting AI.
Investment in AI skills is yet to keep pace with adoption. Only 25 per cent of employees said their employer was actively investing in their AI upskilling. Another 28 per cent described the training available as inadequate, while 30 per cent said there had been no employer investment and they intended to upskill in their own time. Overall, 68 per cent said they were receiving either inadequate or no AI training.
Candidates are nevertheless already using AI extensively during their job searches. Globally, 78 per cent use generative AI during their job search, including 59 per cent who use it to write or improve CVs and cover letters and 43 per cent who use it to prepare for interviews. Yet only 5 per cent would trust AI to make a hiring decision independently, compared with 44 per cent who would trust it alongside human decision making.
“AI is rapidly becoming part of everyday working life in Singapore and our findings show that both candidates and employers are actively embracing the technology,” said Ken Ong, Managing Director, Morgan McKinley Singapore.”Candidates are using AI across their job search, from refining CVs and preparing for interviews to optimising applications for applicant tracking systems, while employers are using AI in areas including CV screening and interview analysis.
“AI is also beginning to influence workforce planning in Singapore, with 20 per cent of employers surveyed describing their long-term strategy as ‘automation-first’.” He added. “At the same time, candidates show relatively high levels of acceptance of AI in recruitment, with 55 per cent saying they trust AI when it is used alongside human oversight.
“As candidates increasingly use AI in their job searches and employers adapt to new ways of assessing skills and experience, organisations will need to balance the benefits of AI with transparency and human oversight. Clear governance and investment in skills will be important as AI becomes more embedded across Singapore’s workforce,” One concludes.
