The Singapore-based platform analyzed over 230,000 verified data points and found that AI-proficient engineers receive 13-25% higher salaries based on experience levels, according to the South China Morning Post.

A person using a laptop to interact with AI. Photo by Pexels

Even as recently as in 2024, strong demand for AI talent had not impacted wages. The report points to particularly strong demand for experienced professionals.

Since 2024, compensation has increased by more than 10% for senior, lead, and managerial roles, by 5.3% for junior engineers, and by 1.7% for mid-level professionals.

Income gaps among software engineers are also widening, with the top 10th getting salary increases of up to 19%. "AI fluency is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s now a salary advantage," NodeFlair founder Ethan Ang said.

The growing importance of AI is also influencing how engineers are assessed, especially at senior levels. Employers are placing greater weight on problem-solving skills and decision-making capacity rather than purely technical coding ability.

Firms are increasingly seeking engineers who can collaborate effectively with AI tools, particularly in senior positions where independence and architectural decisions are crucial. "An engineer’s core value was never just coding – it’s making decisions," Ke Wang, co-founder and chief technology officer of travel rewards app HeyMax, said.

Pay patterns differ across roles such as software engineering, data science, and DevOps, reflecting varying speeds of AI integration in these functions.

These developments come as Singapore’s tech industry begins to rebound after years marked by layoffs and cautious recruitment.