Singapore's President warns of AI's risk to employment for fresh graduates

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks as Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga look on during the IMF/World Bank 2026 Annual Meetings at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand, October 12, 2026. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

BANGKOK, Oct ⁠12 (Reuters) - Singapore President Tharman ⁠Shanmugaratnam said governments across the ‌world should address the pressing issue of how the emergence of ​artificial intelligence is dampening ⁠jobs demand ⁠for fresh graduates.

"There is a particular ⁠problem ‌that we have to address very soon... ⁠and that is that, the ​first ‌rung in employment, your first ⁠job ​upon graduation, is now seeing less demand," Shanmugaratnam told IMF ⁠and World Bank annual ​meetings in Bangkok on Monday.

"The evidence is already very clear, ⁠it's clearest in the most AI-exposed sectors."

He said the world should also avoid a ​situation where a "new ⁠divergence" forms between developing and ​advanced economies ‌due to disruptions from ​AI.

(Reporting by Rae Wee; Editing by John Mair)