SINGAPORE: The federal government has put aside greater than S$45 million (US$35 million) over the subsequent three years to assist producers undertake AI, Minister of State for Vitality, Commerce and Business Gan Siow Huang stated on Wednesday (Oct 21).
The funding will help Enterprise Singapore’s (EnterpriseSG) Catalytic AI Options initiative for superior manufacturing, which is aimed toward serving to producers overcome frequent obstacles to AI adoption, she stated.
Talking at Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific 2026, Ms Gan stated the initiative will assist producers entry ready-to-deploy AI options to enhance productiveness, optimise effectivity, and strengthen their competitiveness.
To make AI accessible to small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs), EnterpriseSG may also supply a set of AI options to those companies, Ms Gan stated.
These embody options to optimise product and part design, automate the processing of request for citation paperwork and improve manufacturing scheduling and predictive upkeep.
EnterpriseSG will co-fund eligible corporations’ adoption of AI options within the suite.
The company stated in a media launch on Wednesday that the options may scale back guide work and response instances, enhance tools reliability and assist producers keep constant product high quality.
The suite can be expanded over time as extra trade wants and options are recognized.
Whereas many SMEs recognise the potential of AI, adoption might be difficult due to growth prices, restricted entry to sector-specific options and uncertainty over outcomes, EnterpriseSG stated.
The initiative goals to deal with these obstacles by bringing collectively AI answer suppliers, system integrators and trade associations, permitting SMEs to faucet confirmed options with out having to develop them independently.
This might scale back the time, price and complexity concerned in adopting AI, it added.
Some SMEs have already expressed curiosity in adopting AI options underneath the brand new initiative, Ms Gan stated.
EnterpriseSG can be growing Catalytic AI Options for the logistics and wholesale commerce sectors, with extra particulars to be introduced at a later date.
The initiative comes amid Singapore’s push to speed up the usage of AI in superior manufacturing, considered one of 4 sectors focused underneath its Nationwide AI Missions, alongside connectivity, finance and healthcare.
Manufacturing accounts for almost 20 per cent of Singapore’s GDP.
Ms Gan stated the objective was not merely to extend the usage of AI, however to rework the manufacturing sector.
“Our purpose is to reimagine manufacturing to develop our manufacturing output and productiveness,” she added.