Singapore rolls out AI support for companies and materials development
A corporate programme will begin with 24 participants, while a separate materials research initiative has received S$150 million in initial funding.
Singapore announced three initiatives on Oct 27 aimed at helping businesses adopt artificial intelligence and speeding up the development of advanced materials. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong outlined the measures at the opening of Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) 2026, held at Marina Bay Sands.
Enterprise Singapore’s Champions of AI programme will initially involve 24 companies, with others joining progressively. Participants include DBS, OCBC, UOB, ST Engineering and Singapore Airlines. The agency will help companies plan their long-term use of AI, find specialist expertise and technology providers, and prepare their organisations and employees for deployment.
Another initiative combines practical workshops on agentic AI for smaller businesses with sessions intended to encourage adoption across entire sectors. The sector-focused work will begin in advanced manufacturing, trade and logistics. A pilot helped more than 280 small businesses use agentic AI for tasks including marketing, sales and customer service.
Additional workshops are planned for November, followed by further expansion in 2027. Enterprise Singapore said participants reported shortages of technical expertise and time to adapt and integrate AI tools. It will explore support for the final stages of deployment.
The materials programme, MARVEL-AI, has received initial funding of S$150 million through the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 plan. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) will lead the effort, linking AI-assisted discovery with laboratory testing and eventual industrial use. Research will cover metal alloys, ceramics, composites, and polymers and organics.
Gan said AI models would identify suitable material candidates and devise experiments, while automated A*Star laboratories would produce and test them. MARVEL-AI also seeks to nurture start-ups, attract multinationals undertaking materials development and give local enterprises access to frontier technologies.
