ILO and Singapore expand cooperation on AI and the future of work in ASEAN
Labour market resilience grows as ILO and Singapore deepen regional cooperation.
The International Labour Organization and Singapore have renewed their partnership to support ASEAN countries in responding to labour market changes linked to AI, platform work and demographic shifts.
The new ‘Partnership Agreement for a Collaborative Programme on Labour and Decent Work’ will run from June 2026 to June 2028. It builds on more than 15 years of cooperation between the ILO and Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower.
Developed in consultation with Singapore’s tripartite partners, including the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation, the framework aims to strengthen the capacity of governments, employers and workers across ASEAN.
The renewed partnership adds new priority areas, including AI, platform work, non-standard employment, demographic transitions and older workers’ participation in the labour market. Existing areas of cooperation, such as occupational safety and health, skills development and social dialogue, will continue.
The agreement will support policy dialogue, knowledge-sharing activities and the exchange of good practices among ASEAN member states. Recent initiatives under the cooperation framework include the Leaders in Tripartism Programme in Singapore in April 2026 and the Global Dialogue on Digital Platform Work in September 2025, which brought together participants from more than 20 countries.
The renewed partnership reflects a broader focus on how ASEAN labour markets can adapt to technological change, ageing societies and new forms of work while maintaining decent work standards.
Why does it matter?
AI and platform work are reshaping labour markets faster than many policy frameworks can adapt. The ILO-Singapore partnership is not a binding regulatory measure, but it creates a regional cooperation channel for ASEAN governments, employers and workers to exchange approaches on skills, social dialogue, worker protection and decent work standards as employment models change.
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