（Singapore, 17.02.2026)As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates across organisations in Southeast Asia, new workforce intelligence data suggests that human capability — not technology access — may be the key constraint on productivity in 2026.
According to aggregated multi-year assessment data released by Epitome Global, only around one in five professionals in Singapore and Malaysia consistently demonstrate behavioural traits associated with AI-ready talent. These traits include persistence, curiosity and reflective learning — qualities considered essential for working effectively alongside AI systems.
The findings are based on more than 200 participants assessed between 2023 and 2025 across workforce development, employability and organisational programmes in the two markets.
While over 70% of participants reported advanced levels of digital literacy, deeper skills gaps were evident. Approximately 56% rated themselves at only a basic level in decision-making capability, and around 42% reported limited confidence in computational thinking — skills increasingly required to supervise AI tools, interpret outputs and integrate technology into operational workflows.
The data suggests that as AI tools become more accessible and embedded in daily operations, workforce readiness may emerge as the primary limiting factor in organisational performance.
“AI tools are scaling faster than workforce readiness,” said Kevin Chan, CEO of Epitome Global. “In the next phase of adoption, the differentiator will not be access to technology, but clarity around what people can actually do — how they make decisions, adapt and collaborate with AI-enabled systems.”
Five Workplace Trends to Watch in 2026
Based on its assessment data, Epitome identified five trends expected to shape organisations in the coming year:
- Rising risks of disengagement and skills decay. With only about one in five workers consistently demonstrating AI-ready behaviours, productivity risks may intensify if organisations fail to strengthen adaptive capabilities.
- AI adoption outpacing integration depth. Despite strong uptake in 2025, about 65% of organisations in Singapore remain focused on basic AI use cases, highlighting limitations in scaling AI across functions and embedding it into decision-making processes.
- Shift from cost-based outsourcing to higher-value roles. Professionals in markets such as the Philippines, Vietnam and India are increasingly expanding into engineering, product, IT and data science roles, competing more directly in global talent markets.
- Intensifying “fire and hire” cycles. Organisations are expected to continue reducing roles misaligned with future strategies while selectively hiring for advanced technical and cross-functional capabilities.
- Strategic repositioning of senior employability. As Asia’s workforce ages, employers are re-evaluating how senior professionals can contribute as knowledge carriers, reviewers of AI-assisted outputs and cross-functional mentors.
As organisations move deeper into AI deployment, performance differences are likely to be shaped less by the number of AI tools implemented and more by how effectively companies measure, develop and deploy workforce capabilities.
In an environment where AI access is increasingly democratised, the competitive advantage may no longer lie in possessing technology, but in cultivating the human judgment required to direct it.
