Singapore ranks among top cities for tech talent as AI job listings surge globally: report

Business Times

5 hours ago

[SINGAPORE] Singapore has emerged as a top contender in the global tech talent race, tying for fourth place in a global talent acquisition ranking, according to a report released on Wednesday (Jul 9).
It tied for fourth place alongside Mumbai and Chennai – and is the only non-Indian city in the top five, indicated the report by Colliers, a global professional services and investment management company.
'Singapore is the only non-Indian market in the top five, driven by strong one-year hiring and a high volume of open job posts, signalling a concentrated effort to hire for the 10 key tech occupations,' Colliers said.
Colliers said that the talent acquisition category provides insight into the markets that are currently driving job posts and recruiting activity, reflecting the global demand for tech talent.
In a separate one-year hiring index, Singapore ranks eighth globally, reflecting sustained but slightly lower short-term hiring momentum compared with Indian counterparts.
Its strong showing was attributed to robust one-year hiring activity and a high volume of open job postings across key technology roles – including in fast-growing areas like artificial intelligence (AI).
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Singapore ranked alongside heavyweights such as Beijing, Bengaluru and Tokyo. Other Asia-Pacific markets on the rise include Seoul and Sydney, both of which have seen increased demand for AI and cybersecurity talent.
Mike Davis, Colliers' managing director of occupier services for Apac, said: 'Apac is drawing significant global attention for its unmatched tech talent density and strong venture capital momentum, particularly in India and China.'
The report assessed more than 200 global markets based on these factors: talent acquisition and pipeline, venture capital funding, labour index strength and sector composition.
The results underscore a widening polarisation in global tech talent – with the United States, China and India accounting for a disproportionate share of top-performing markets, the report indicated.
The San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and New York City secured three of the top five spots globally, reinforcing the US' leadership in innovation and tech workforce. Meanwhile, India and China each had five cities in the global top 50, highlighting their growing influence in digital economy growth, according to the report.
Notably, 36 per cent of the world's tech talent now resides in just 10 global tech cities.
'Global tech talent is becoming increasingly concentrated in a few key hubs, with cities in the US and India leading the way. Although 22 countries have cities ranked in our top 50, the data points to a growing polarisation – especially in AI talent – towards these dominant markets,' Colliers said.
India continues to cement its status as a global tech talent powerhouse, holding four of the top five spots in talent acquisition and having all six of its featured cities within the top ten. Bengaluru leads the pack.
'The proportion of younger workers in the tech sector continues to rise. Between 2014 and 2022, the number of employees under 25 grew by 9 per cent – a rate over 20 times the all-industry average. This trend is shifting attention to cities with younger talent pools, such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mexico City,' the report indicated.
'Bengaluru boasts the world's largest pool of data scientists, while Beijing leads the region in tech sector productivity. Meanwhile, cities such as Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Singapore are emerging as world-class innovation hubs. These markets aren't just supporting global tech expansion – they're leading it,' it added.
AI shakes up talent strategy
One of the most significant shifts highlighted in the report is the soaring demand for AI-related expertise. Globally, job listings that require AI skills have surged, while traditional IT postings have declined.
Citing recent research by the University of Maryland, the report said the number of new AI job listings have risen 68 per cent since ChatGPT launched in late 2022. By contrast, the number of traditional IT job postings fell 27 per cent in the same period.
This is putting cities with strong AI ecosystems – such as Bengaluru, New York and Sao Paulo – in the spotlight for employers.
odie Poirier, the president of Colliers' occupier services for the Americas, said: 'As generative AI reshapes talent strategies, we're seeing a significant shift in how companies prioritise location decisions.'
'In the Americas, tech talent hubs like San Francisco and New York remain vital, but markets like Mexico City and Sao Paulo are quickly gaining ground. Organisations need to move fast, make data-informed choices, and align workforce planning with long-term business goals,' she added.
Competition for data scientists, information security analysts
Competition for data scientists is 'particularly strong,' said Colliers, noting that they are 'critical' to the AI industry, as they develop models that turn large amounts of data into insights and patterns.
Demand for data scientists is expected to grow by 36 per cent through 2032 – the highest rate of any tech jobs, it added.
'Interestingly, our research finds that regional hubs of data scientists are emerging in response to increased hiring demand – driven by the need to support large language models and broader AI integration efforts,' the report indicated.
It said Bengaluru has the world's largest pool of data scientists, including the biggest workforce in the Apac region. In the Americas, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City lead, while London and Paris offer the highest concentrations of data science talent in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa region.
Another role is also emerging: information security analysts.
Demand for this role is 'skyrocketing' with demand jumping 33 per cent, according to the report.
The cybersecurity workforce gap grew by 19.1 per cent from 2023 to 2024, said the report, citing data from ISC2, a cybersecurity professional association.