Singapore has on Monday unveiled a sweeping push to entrench itself as an artificial intelligence (AI) leader, with new programs to embed AI across enterprises, sectors and the broader economy, as it braces for a more volatile global environment.

Speaking at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)’s Committee of Supply debate, Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong said AI would be central to securing Singapore’s “next phase of growth and good jobs”.

“AI is a critical enabler,” Gan said, as he outlined one of five strategic thrusts under the government’s economic reset — to establish Singapore as both an AI leader and an AI-empowered economy.

The move comes as structural forces, including automation and decarbonization, reshape industries worldwide. Gan said Singapore must respond decisively to sustain trend growth of 2 percent to 3 percent annually over the next decade, even as global trade becomes more fragmented and uncertain.

At the firm level, the government will deepen support for companies to integrate AI across their operations, beyond isolated pilot projects.

To date, more than 60 companies have been supported to set up in-house AI Centers of Excellence — teams dedicated to developing and deploying AI solutions.

Building on this, MTI will launch a new “Champions of AI” program later this year.

The initiative will target a select group of Singapore-based companies committed to making AI a core driver of productivity and growth.

Under the scheme, participating firms will receive end-to-end support to redesign business processes, embed AI into core operations and workforce practices, and execute transformation projects with measurable impact.

This includes leadership and workforce training, alongside commitments by companies to retrain and upskill staff for higher-value AI-enabled roles.

Gan cited DBS as a case study of large-scale AI deployment. At DBS Bank, AI has been embedded across customer engagement, risk management and operational processes.

Through personalized AI-driven nudges, retail customers were guided to make better financial decisions, resulting in higher savings, investments and insurance coverage.

In institutional banking, AI tools reduced trade documentation processing times by 60%, while in risk management, millions of transactions are analyzed daily to detect suspicious activity in real time.

DBS has equipped all 40,000 employees with foundational AI training and reskilled some into new roles such as AI agent monitoring managers and generative AI evaluators.

In 2025, the bank reported about S$1 billion in economic value from its data analytics and AI initiatives.

Gan said such firms would act as “pathfinders”, providing models for other enterprises to follow.

Beyond individual firms, the government will drive sector-level transformation through a series of AI Missions, starting with advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance and healthcare — areas where Singapore already has strong capabilities.

For each mission, the government will work with industry players to define specific problem statements where AI can deliver breakthrough gains.

Around these, full-stack ecosystems will be developed, including curated datasets, computing resources, regulatory sandboxes and solution providers.

The aim is to shorten the path from development to deployment, and from testing to scale, while generating demand for new skills and building clusters of AI expertise anchored in Singapore.

“These Missions serve as rallying flags,” Gan said, adding that they would attract global AI talent and companies focused on real-world applications, and concentrate investments for greater impact.

To anchor these efforts physically, Singapore will establish an AI Park at one-north, expanding on the existing Lorong AI initiative.

Dubbed “Kampong AI”, the space is intended as a focal point where researchers, talent, problem owners and companies can co-locate and collaborate.

Gan described it as a “center of gravity” for AI excellence that will accelerate the building of a deep, integrated ecosystem.

The broader ambition is to position Singapore as a place where AI solutions are not only developed but proven and scaled — reinforcing its reputation as a trusted, knowledge-driven hub.

Gan stressed that AI adoption must translate into better jobs, not displacement.

As factories and services become more data-driven, demand will grow for roles such as automation and robotics engineers, data specialists and AI practitioners, which command higher wages. Companies in the Champions of AI program will be required to invest in workforce retraining, ensuring employees can move into newly created roles.

The AI thrust also complements Singapore’s push to deepen leadership in advanced manufacturing and modern trust-based services, including AI assurance and cybersecurity.

Even as global uncertainties mount, Gan said Singapore would not wait for clarity before acting.

“Growth must translate into good jobs for Singaporeans,

“If we continue to stay united, remain agile and keep investing in our people, Singapore will not just navigate change — we will shape it,” he said.

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