In the push to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in enterprises, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) will intensify efforts under its Digital Leaders Program (DLP) to support 2,000 local digitally mature enterprises or digital leaders from various sectors to harness AI with confidence over the next three years.
IMDA said in a statement on last Friday enterprises are key drivers of Singapore’s digital economy, and the IMDA has developed programs and resources to empower every enterprise to leverage AI effectively to transform their operations to increase revenue, improve productivity, identify new markets and capture new growth opportunities.
Launched in 2021, IMDA’s DLP was developed to guide digitally ambitious and progressive local enterprises to propel their digital transformation, build digital capabilities and capture new business opportunities, both locally and abroad.
Having implemented DLP over the past few years, IMDA is enhancing the program under a three-pronged approach to cater to the demands of the industry.
Firstly, it is uplifting leadership mindset by equipping enterprises with knowledge and skills to leverage AI strategically through Tech Discovery Workshops co-organized with industry experts, and Playbooks to provide practical guidance.
Secondly, it is instilling confidence by supporting enterprises to design and deliver impactful AI projects, tapping into the expertise of tech giants and network of partners.
Thirdly, it is building internal, independent competencies by providing funding support for the hiring of in-house digital teams, enabling enterprises to operationalize AI initiatives and scale confidently.
Based on this three-pronged approach, IMDA will design and deliver a more structured program with industry partners to hand-hold and guide willing, committed and able enterprises to translate their digital ambition into actionable plans to achieve tangible outcomes.
The enhanced program aims to equip participating enterprises with the capabilities and actionable insights to drive stronger pull-through to sustain digital transformation efforts through laying the digital foundation; identifying high-impact business opportunities; delivering quick-win solutions and securing commitment to digital transformation.
The digital foundation is implemented via practical, modular training and awareness sessions on business and technical aspects of digital transformation, covering a range of content such as AI, data and business re-design.
IMDA is identifying high-impact business opportunities through expert coaching, business use cases, and simulation to prioritize digital initiatives with higher return On investments (ROI).
It is delivering quick-win solutions by means of hands-on execution, with opportunities to experiment with ready-to-use solutions or digital tools, to understand requirements for digital deployments.
Participating enterprises will also be given the opportunity to embark on short-term digital projects to build their confidence before going on full-scale deployment.
IMDA is also securing commitment to digital transformation – with development of actionable roadmaps to refine milestones and success metrics.
Through this holistic approach, IMDA aims to nurture a strong base of Digital Leaders who can spearhead AI innovation and adoption and set the pace for transformation in their respective sectors.
They will be the new wave of industry champions who can compete globally, lead in their sectors, and anchor Singapore’s position as a trusted hub for digital innovation.
To-date, more than 600 enterprises have benefitted from the DLP and learnt more about digital transformation, capabilities required and tech solutions available, with some embarking on their own digital projects.
Close to 50 of them have engaged IMDA to do more and were supported in the recruitment of digital teams and implementation of AI projects.