Singapore Parliament asks whether AI is reducing lawyer workload or worsening burnout

Singapore's Minister for Law Edwin Tong SC gave a May 2026 parliamentary reply stating that the Ministry does not directly track whether AI adoption has reduced workload and improved work-life balance for junior lawyers, or instead raised client expectations and billing demands in ways that worsen burnout. The Ministry cited 240 hours per year potentially freed by AI and a 2025 legaltech survey showing 90% of adopting firms saw manpower efficiency gains — but the parliamentary question itself reflects a growing policy recognition that AI's net wellbeing impact is unverified and requires active monitoring. A Future of the Legal Profession Committee has been established to examine this.