In short: On 27 October 2026, Enterprise Singapore announced a new package of AI initiatives for companies of every size. The message behind them is clear: trying an AI tool is a start, but real gains come from changing how work gets done and training people at the same time.

Some SME teams already use AI in everyday work. Someone uses a chatbot to draft emails. Someone else summarises a report. But in many businesses, the way work actually gets done hasn't changed.

That gap between trying AI and using it properly is exactly what Singapore's latest AI announcements are aimed at.

I. What happened?

At the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) on 27 October, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong announced a set of initiatives led by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG). The announcements cover three EnterpriseSG initiatives and a related A*STAR research programme:

  • Champions of AI. The programme starts with 24 Singapore-based companies that have committed to company-wide AI transformation, with more joining over time. They'll get long-term AI roadmaps, access to experts and solution providers, and support for change management, job redesign and upskilling.
  • Driving Entrepreneurship with AI workshops. These are hands-on sessions where small business owners find practical uses for AI and build working prototypes. More than 280 small businesses took part in the pilot, using AI agents in marketing, sales and customer service. EnterpriseSG said more workshops would begin in November 2026, with a bigger rollout in 2027.
  • Catalytic AI Solutions. This supports AI adoption across whole sectors, starting with advanced manufacturing, trade and logistics. Fuller support measures are expected by early 2027.
  • MARVEL-AI. About S$150 million goes to AI-driven research into advanced materials, led by A*STAR.

II. What does this mean for Singapore businesses?

Three messages stand out.

1. The focus has moved from trying AI to using it. DPM Gan said a pilot is a useful starting point, but that bigger gains come from rethinking processes across the business. Testing a tool is no longer the goal.

2. People and processes come before tools. Champions of AI companies must commit to building their own AI skills and upskilling their staff. DPM Gan also said training should start in parallel to business process changes, not afterwards.

3. The real bottleneck for SMEs is time and skills. Feedback from the workshops showed that many small businesses experiment with AI but lack the in-house skills and time to finish and launch what they start. EnterpriseSG said it will look at supporting that final step.

Most SMEs won't be among the 24 champions. But the same approach works at a smaller scale.

III. What should SMEs do next?

Take Rahman, who runs a 25-person logistics company. His team uses AI to draft emails, and that's about it. Here's how he could apply the Champions of AI approach at his size:

  1. Start with a business problem, not a tool. For Rahman, that's the hours lost writing delivery updates and assigning jobs.
  2. Redesign the workflow with the people who do it. Map each step, then decide where AI drafts and who checks the result.
  3. Train alongside the change. Teach staff using the actual workflow they'll use, not a generic demo.
  4. Plan the last mile. Testing on real jobs and handing the workflow over to the team can be a difficult step. Give that step an owner and a date.
  5. Watch for support in your sector. If you're in manufacturing, trade or logistics, follow EnterpriseSG's Catalytic AI Solutions updates. Small business owners can also register interest in upcoming Driving Entrepreneurship with AI workshops.

Not sure which workflow to start with? Our guide to choosing your first AI automation pilot can help.

IV. The bottom line

Government programmes can point the way, but the change happens inside your business, through your people. Singapore's newest AI measures are built on that idea. SMEs can act on it now, one workflow at a time.

Build an AI-enabled workforce. AI Workforce's 60-Day AI Transformation for SMEs combines hands-on training with redesigning a real workflow and building tools your team uses every day. Implementation consultation is available where it's included in your programme. View all programmes or book a discovery call.

Rahman is an illustrative example. Programme details are based on Enterprise Singapore's media release of 27 October 2026.