Generative AI reaches 70% of Singapore’s working population
Businesses account for 45% to 60% of AI usage in Singapore and Malaysia, while consumers remain the largest users across the regional market.
About 3.2 million people, or 70% of Singapore’s working population, use generative AI, according to a report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, as business adoption and investment in computing infrastructure expand.
Bain estimates Singapore’s per-capita AI usage at nearly half the level in the US and roughly double Europe’s. Organisations contribute 45% to 60% of usage in Singapore and Malaysia, contrasting with the wider regional market, where consumers account for the largest share.
The report said platforms based in Singapore had drawn the majority of Southeast Asia’s AI-infrastructure investment. Singapore has also assigned another 200 megawatts of green energy to support a computing base of 1.4 gigawatts, balancing rising demand with sustainability requirements.
Singapore’s digital economy is forecast to generate S$39.6 billion in gross merchandise value in 2026, an increase of 8% year on year. The report projects S$75.3 billion by 2035, supported by demand for AI-related semiconductors and digital mobility developments such as autonomous shuttles and licensed cross-border ride-hailing.
Bain & Company partner Florian Hoppe said the next task for Singapore was turning widespread adoption into measurable business results. He said companies reshaping workflows and organisational structures around AI were likely to benefit most, rather than those focused simply on rapid deployment.
