SINGAPORE: A significant focus in the unveiling of the national Budget for this year is Artificial Intelligence (AI). A new AI Council will be set up with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong himself as chairman.
“In a changed world, a decisive factor for success will be how we harness new technologies — foremost amongst them, Artificial Intelligence,” he said, underlining the technology’s potential to boost productivity and change lives.
He acknowledged the concerns of many that AI would replace workers, as well as those involving misinformation, bias, and using such technologies ethically.
“These anxieties are real — and we must confront them squarely. But fear cannot be Singapore’s response. If we allow uncertainty to paralyse us, we will fall behind in a world that is moving rapidly ahead,” the Prime Minister added.
And while there are already over 60 companies that have established AI Centres of Excellence in Singapore, the need is for a push on a national level in order to fully realise AI’s potential.
Here are the main points of Singapore’s AI agenda:
- The National AI Council, personally chaired by PM Wong, will provide strategic direction on a country-wide level. It will make sure that the government, industry, and research are working together.
- Launching AI Missions to drive transformation in four specific sectors: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare.
- Establishing the Champions of AI programme to support firms with the ambition to use AI to comprehensively transform their business. This includes enterprise transformation as well as workforce training and serves as an inspiration for other companies.
- Expansion ofthe Enterprise Innovation Scheme, which gives businesses 400 per cent tax deductions on qualifying expenditures such as R&D, innovation, and other activities, will be expanded to include AI expenditures.
- Establishment of a larger AI park at One-North, in addition to the Lorong AI pilot initiative, to bring together ideas and collaborators, as well as translate AI initiatives into practical solutions for businesses and public services.
- Training and development of Singaporeans at various levels, such as strengthening AI literacy for students across all Institutes of Higher Learning and helping workers build practical AI capabilities.
- Redesign of the SkillsFuture website to make AI learning pathways clearer and easier to access. This will ensure that Singaporeans may quickly find courses to match their work needs and proficiency levels.
- Singaporeans who take up specific AI training courses will be given six months of free access to premium AI tools.
“Our commitment is clear: every Singaporean who is willing to adapt and learn will continue to secure a good job and make a good living here in Singapore…
Singapore will not be passive in the face of rapid changes around us. We will adapt. We will compete. We will continue to move forward with confidence. By harnessing AI as a strategic advantage, we will shape our own future and secure our place in this changed world,” said the Prime Minister.
The speech for Budget 2026 may be found in full here. /TISG
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