The Singtel Group has announced a strategic partnership with Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) to accelerate a multi-year AI transformation program across its businesses and strengthen its capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled operations, digital infrastructure, customer platforms and workforce development.

As part of the first phase of this transformation journey, Singtel Singapore will receive support from DISG to strengthen its foundational AI capabilities across the organization – including developing and hiring AI talent, establishing governance and technology frameworks, and building enterprise advisory and implementation expertise to support AI deployment at scale, Singtel said in a statement on last Friday.

This partnership is in line with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0, which aims to strengthen sovereign digital capabilities, grow local AI talent pipelines and develop globally competitive AI leaders capable of driving long-term economic growth and industry transformation.

“Having been part of Singapore’s growth journey, we’re committed to supporting the country’s next lap by championing enterprise transformation with AI,

“This grant is a strong vote of confidence in the group’s role in advancing Singapore’s AI ambitions and strengthens our position as a leading digital infrastructure and technology partner,” said Yuen Kuan Moon, Singtel Group Chief Executive Officer.

As an adopter, provider and enabler of AI, he said Singtel is embedding intelligent technologies across its operations, delivering trusted enterprise-grade solutions that help customers move from pilot to scale, and providing secure, sovereign platforms and digital infrastructure to support adoption across industries.

“Ultimately, our goal is to create real impact not just for our business, but for Singapore, future-proofing our industries to be more competitive and resilient in the AI era,” he added.

Ng Tian Chong, Chief Executive Officer, Singtel Singapore, said Singtel Singapore has embedded AI across every touchpoint in its business and is working on building more autonomous and resilient networks, improving customer experiences through agentic AI, and enabling enterprises to deploy AI securely through intelligent digital platforms.

“This partnership reinforces our commitment to not just transform our own operations, but to help enterprises and the industry unlock new value, improve productivity and innovate with confidence,

“The support from DISG will help us accelerate this transformation while strengthening Singapore’s broader digital ecosystem,” he added.

Philbert Gomez, Senior Vice President, Executive Director and Head of Digital Industry Singapore, said this prgoram serves as a beacon for companies across their ecosystem to start on their AI journeys.

“DISG is committed to supporting companies who have similar ambitions, as this strengthens our value as the AI hub of choice where sophisticated users draw in frontier AI expertise,” he added.

The first phase of the partnership will focus on strengthening Singtel Singapore’s foundational AI capabilities across several areas.

This is including developing a roadmap and operating plan to become a world-leading AI-native Telco Build and deploy advanced agentic AI and AI/machine learning (ML) capabilities in all business units; cultivating AI-native talent, by equipping business leaders with the necessary knowledge and upskilling employees; establishing a trusted AI operating model with clear governance, flexible technology architecture and strong security controls; developing reusable AI solutions and deployment playbooks; driving organization-wide adoption and culture change initiatives.

The initiative is expected to create new high-value AI-related roles, while accelerating large-scale upskilling and reskilling efforts across the organization.

It is noted that Singtel has already trained some 13,000 employees in Singapore, and Singtel Singapore aims to train 3,000 employees as AI practitioners and another 300 as AI specialists.

These efforts will deepen AI expertise across the organization while equipping leaders and teams to operate effectively in increasingly AI-enabled environments.

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