Singapore leads Commonwealth in youth AI readiness

Singapore leads Commonwealth in youth AI readiness

Singapore ranks first among 56 Commonwealth countries for young people's readiness to benefit from artificial intelligence, scoring 77.6 out of 100. The country also stands to gain up to US$28.4 billion in additional GDP over ten years from AI, according to a new study.

Singapore tops the newly published Ayre Index, ahead of Malta, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. The ranking assesses how well countries equip young people with the digital skills, education, access and employment opportunities needed to benefit from artificial intelligence.

Singapore scores particularly strongly in digital, data, media and AI capabilities, achieving 9.6 out of 10, and receives the maximum score of 10 for young people's motivation and confidence in using AI.

The economic potential is also significant. Researchers estimate that AI could lift Singapore's GDP level by US$19.0 billion after ten years under a moderate scenario. The increase could reach US$28.4 billion in an optimistic case, while a conservative scenario points to US$9.7 billion.

Room for improvement

Despite its leading position, Singapore still faces challenges. Its scores for employment and enterprise (5.7) and rights, safety and participation (4.3) indicate room for improvement. The study also highlights a lack of information on how young people are actually using AI in their working lives and businesses.

The index, developed by the Ayre Think Tank, draws on 1,128 research sources and examines conditions affecting approximately 732 million young people aged 15 to 29 across the Commonwealth's 56 countries. Only 15 countries achieve the study's readiness benchmark of 53 points.

Singapore is already investing in its AI capabilities. A government programme launched in March 2026 aims to support 10,000 businesses in adopting AI and equip 100,000 workers with relevant skills over three years. Schools are also set to receive an updated AI education programme nationwide in 2027.

The report identifies affordable technology access, practical education, employment opportunities and safeguards for young users as key priorities. Its central message is that technological readiness alone is not enough: young people must also be able to apply AI skills, create businesses and participate in shaping the technology.