Singapore has emerged as one of the world’s strongest markets for AI talent, ranking sixth globally in a study by Employer of Record (EOR) solutions provider Teamed. The ranking highlights the city-state’s strong AI ecosystem, driven by targeted government policies, strategic investments, and a highly concentrated AI workforce.
According to Teamed’s analysis, Singapore received an AI Talent Score of 8.34, placing it behind the United States (9.18), India (9.03), Canada (8.89), the United Kingdom (8.85), and Israel (8.43).
The AI Talent Score is based on the average performance across six indicators: AI startup investment, generative AI investment, relative AI hiring index, AI job postings, AI talent concentration, and the number of AI patents.
Despite having a population of fewer than six million people, Singapore ranked second globally in AI talent concentration, with a score of 1.95, trailing only Israel (2.27). The metric measures the share of AI professionals in the country’s overall workforce.
AI hiring, a global challenge
Tom Price-Daniel, co-founder of Teamed, said AI hiring has become a global challenge as companies increasingly struggle to find the specialised talent they need locally.
Tom Price-Daniel Explained that while international hiring expands the talent pool, navigating different employment, payroll, tax, and benefits systems complicates the process.
“Frankly, the uncomfortable truth is that finding the right person is only half the job. Without the right infrastructure, global hiring can feel like building a house with no foundations.”
Price-Daniel added that businesses need to look beyond recruitment. “If someone has a brilliant interview but then has a frustrating onboarding or payroll experience, you’ve already started the relationship on the wrong foot. People often focus on finding great talent, but keeping that experience smooth is usually what determines whether someone actually sticks around.”
