Monetary Authority of Singapore Chief Economist: After the increase in AI productivity, there may be room for easing

According to the Straits Times, Edward Robinson, Chief Economist of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, stated at the Beijing Financial Street Forum on October 20 that once artificial intelligence leads to widespread productivity improvements, central banks may relax monetary policy. However, currently, the AI investment boom is driving demand, and policies should maintain appropriate restrictions. He pointed out that AI-related investments are driving economic growth, but the technology has not yet brought significant productivity improvements to the broader economy, and he called for a gradual, data-driven approach.

The Monetary Authority tightened monetary policy in April and July 2026 due to rising inflation risks, and maintained the policy unchanged in October. An October 14 statement warned that if the AI boom generates broader economic spillovers and raises unit labor costs, domestic inflation may remain high. Robinson noted that AI-driven electronic products accounted for over 70% of this year's export growth in Asia, but the growth of industries producing AI-related technologies mainly stems from increased investment and more intensive use of existing resources, rather than efficiency improvements. He cited OECD estimates stating that if sufficiently widespread and appropriately invested, AI could increase total factor productivity growth by up to 0.6 percentage points annually.