Singapore overtakes Switzerland in global talent ranking, fueled by AI readiness, as U.S. slips to 9th spot

Singapore has claimed the apical presumption successful the 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) for the archetypal time, bolstered by its robust acquisition systems, dependable governance and a proactive attack to sustaining an adaptive, innovation-ready workforce successful the property of artificial intelligence.

In its 11th variation this year, the scale — produced by concern schoolhouse INSEAD and successful concern with D.C.-based deliberation vessel Portulans Institute — measured however countries grow, pull and clasp endowment crossed each income groups.

This year's report, themed "resilience successful the property of disruption," ranked 135 economies globally connected 77 indicators specified arsenic brushed skills and AI endowment attraction crossed six pillars.

This study comes astatine a clip erstwhile "rapid technological change, geopolitical uncertainty and profound societal transitions marque dependable endowment metrics much indispensable than ever," said Rafael Escalona Reynoso, CEO of Portulans Institute.

"While historians tin springiness america much perspective, it surely feels arsenic if we are surviving successful a play of maximum disruption and anxiety," said INSEAD's dean of probe and innovation, Lily Fang. "Geopolitical uncertainty poses monolithic challenges to the resilience of planetary commerce and markets, portion artificial quality presents some astonishing opportunities to heighten quality imaginable — but besides unfathomable risks."

Here are the apical 10 countries successful the 2025 Global Talent Competitiveness Index:

1. Singapore
2. Switzerland
3. Denmark
4. Finland
5. Sweden
6. Netherlands
7. Norway
8. Luxembourg
9. United States
10. Australia

Notably, Switzerland was leapfrogged by Singapore and fell from its apical presumption for the archetypal clip successful the past of the GTCI. However, the state records aggregate top-five results crossed the study's framework, including net entree successful schools (1st), authorities effectiveness (2nd), and AI skills migration (4th).

High-income European countries proceed to predominate the ranking, accounting for 7 of the apical 10 positions.

Switzerland, Denmark and Finland intimately travel each different successful the apical ten, "suggesting a shared absorption connected enabling and retaining endowment done favorable conditions and entree to opportunities," according to the report. These 3 countries consistently fertile adjacent the apical successful enabling and retaining talent.

Several Nordic countries person jumped places successful the apical 10 since the past GTCI successful 2023. Denmark moved up 1 presumption to 3rd this twelvemonth from 4th successful the 2023 report, Finland jumped 2 places from 6th to 4th, and Sweden jumped 4 places from 9th successful fertile successful 2023 to 4th this year.

Meanwhile, the United States fell from 3rd spot successful 2023 to ninth successful this year's study — its weakest showing since 2013.

Although the U.S. scored powerfully successful areas specified arsenic enabling and increasing talent, "slight declines successful the categories of openness and lifelong learning" pushed the state down to ninth spot successful 2025, according to the report.

Singapore's rise marks a large milestone for some the state and the wider portion successful the contention for talent, the study said.

The city-state "ranks successful the apical 10 crossed 4 of the six pillars and has made notable improvements successful its quality to clasp talent, rising 7 positions," according to the report. The Southeast Asian state besides leads globally successful enabling and retaining talent, which is supported by the country's regulatory scenery and precocious standards of living.

The state besides ranked archetypal globally successful ceremonial acquisition and "Generalist Adaptive Skills," which spans brushed skills, integer literacy, and innovation-oriented thinking.

A cardinal operator of Singapore's leap this twelvemonth is simply a crisp betterment successful its quality to clasp talent, jumping 7 places from 38th successful 2023 to 31st this year. The study pointed to gains successful areas specified arsenic doc density, idiosyncratic rights, idiosyncratic information and more.

"Economies that cultivate adaptable, cross-functional and AI-literate workforces thin to beryllium amended positioned to person disruption into accidental and prolong semipermanent competitiveness," says Paul Evans, emeritus prof of organisational behaviour astatine INSEAD and co-editor of the report.

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