AI salaries in Singapore are rising up to five times faster than the overall wage growth.

Within the past year, pay for AI roles has climbed by about 15 to 25 per cent, with fresh hires typically starting from between $70,000 and $90,000 a year. That compares with overall wage growth of 4.9 per cent in 2025, down from 5.6 per cent the year before.

Yet at the same time, major tech firms and global banks are restructuring and cutting jobs, often citing AI as a key reason. 

So what's really driving this surge in AI salaries? Could it start reshaping wage expectations across the wider workforce? And does the promise of AI justify the growing number of layoffs we're seeing?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Rahul Chawla, Partner and Head of Talent Solutions for Southeast Asia at Aon to find out more.