Home Team tapping AI, foreigners amid manpower shortage and new demands

Debate on ministries' budgets: Home Affairs

- David Sun

In a bid to tackle falling birth rates, an ageing population and a manpower shortage, the Home Team is using technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to transform itself.

It will also hire more foreigners to fill certain roles that Singaporeans might not be keen on, said Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo.

Speaking during the debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs budget on March 4, she added: "In every aspect, the Home Team faces new and growing demands. The threat landscape is increasingly complex.

"The manpower constraints are also more binding. Birth rates are declining and the competition for talent is very tough."

In her speech, Mrs Teo revealed some of the new tech and AI solutions for the Home Team.

A targeted on-site inspection tool powered by AI will be used by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to assess the likelihood of fire safety violations in commercial and industrial premises.

The tool uses data from various sources, including past inspection reports. This allows the SCDF to carry out inspections on a more targeted basis, said Mrs Teo.

The tool is expected to be progressively rolled out to front-line units for field testing in the coming months.