- New programme to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) move from AI experimentation to real-world implementation
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| Source: Singtel. An AI.dea training scenario. |
Singtel Singapore has launched AI.dea — an AI business transformation programme, developed in partnership with SIM Academy to help SMEs in Singapore accelerate AI adoption and unlock new opportunities for productivity, innovation and growth.
As AI moves from experimentation to real-world deployment, many businesses continue to grapple with the complexities of implementation, Singtel said, observing that while AI has proven to be a powerful driver of productivity and growth, adoption among Singapore SMEs remains relatively low.
While digital adoption among SMEs in Singapore has grown significantly in recent years, Singtel said that many businesses continue to face challenges in fully realising value from new technologies, particularly in complex areas such as AI.
According to the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA's) Singapore Digital Economy Report 2025*, only 14.5% of SMEs have implemented AI solutions, compared to 62.5% of larger enterprises — a wide competitive gap.
AI.dea aims to address this gap by making AI accessible, practical and secure for local businesses. The programme will equip SMEs with the capabilities to integrate AI into their operations and compete more effectively in an increasingly digital economy. To boost adoption, eligible SMEs will receive up to 90% in funding from SkillsFuture Singapore.
Ng Tian Chong, CEO of Singtel Singapore, said, “AI has quickly become a key driver of business transformation, but many organisations are still figuring out where to even begin. Singtel Singapore’s own journey has shown that success with AI requires more than just technology — it takes the right capabilities, governance and mindset.
"With AI.dea, we are bringing these lessons to SMEs, helping them to adopt AI applications before committing to full-scale deployment so they can realise tangible business outcomes.”
Ho Seong Kim, CEO of SIM Academy added: “As Singapore advances its National AI Strategy, SMEs
— the foundation of our business ecosystem — must be equipped to
participate meaningfully in this transformation. As the selected
learning partner for this programme, we leverage our expertise in
applied, outcome-driven learning to help SME leaders build in-house
capabilities, develop actionable adoption strategies, and implement AI
with confidence to drive tangible business outcomes.”
AI.dea is
designed to help SMEs overcome common barriers to adoption, including
limited in-house expertise, uncertainty around implementation, and
concerns around data security and governance.
Through a
structured, hands-on approach, participants will design, build and
validate real-world use cases tailored to their business needs.
Participants will benefit from:
· Hands-on application: Design and test AI use cases through guided proof-of-concept development
· Expert guidance: Learn from practitioners with experience in scaling AI across organisations
· Governance and security: Build capabilities in AI governance, data protection and risk management
· Strategic roadmap development: Define AI ambition and develop a clear, actionable adoption plan
Advancing SME digital transformation
The AI.dea programme complements Singtel’s broader suite of SME-focused initiatives:
·
TikTok Masterclass: A brand-building and e-commerce enablement
programme that helps SMEs to strengthen their digital presence, connect
with customers more effectively, and capture growth opportunities in the
digital economy.
· Cyber Protect: A tripartite
initiative by Singtel, Enterprise Singapore and IMDA to bolster SMEs’
cyber resilience through workshops, curated learning resources, and
subsidised cyber solutions, enabling businesses to identify risks, adopt
stronger cyber hygiene practices and better protect themselves against
evolving cyber threats.
· Cyber Elevate: A training programme which provides cyber risk audits, resilience
workshops, and mentorship to help SMEs prepare, detect, respond to, and
recover from cyberattacks at heavily-subsidised rates, with support
from law firm Drew & Napier and incident response firm Blackpanda as
consultants.
· Defence Against Cyber Scams: Developed
for large enterprises to upskill and reskill their employees to be
better able to identify, combat and prevent scams.
· SPEED: A 15-month initiative aimed at helping SMEs decarbonise
through education, energy-efficient technology deployment and continuous
improvement strategies. The programme is designed to enable SMEs to go
digital and achieve environmental goals at the same time.
As a SkillsFuture Queen Bee,
Singtel plays a pivotal role in enabling enterprises – especially SMEs –
to upskill, digitalise and innovate. Its end-to-end solutions –
spanning mobility and connectivity, to cybersecurity, Internet of Things
(IoT) and collaboration tools – are tailored to evolving business
needs.
Details
The programme fee is S$15,000 (before GST), with up to 90% funding available for eligible businesses under the Enhanced Training Support for SMEs programme, supported by SkillsFuture Singapore.
To qualify, companies must:
· Be registered and incorporated in Singapore
· Have at least 30% local shareholding by Singapore citizens or permanent residents (PRs)
· Have an annual sales turnover not exceeding S$100 million or an employment size of fewer than 200 employees
Businesses interested in the programme can register their interest at https://www.singtel.com/business/smb/solutions/ICT/ai-dea
