Singapore says it is too early to quantify AI grant support to employers

Singapore has said it is too early to provide meaningful figures on government support disbursed to employers specifically for artificial intelligence (AI) capability building, as several AI-focused schemes were launched only in 2025 and 2026.

Responding to a parliamentary question from MP He Ting Ru on 9 September, the Acting Minister for Manpower said the Government supports companies in building AI capabilities through a range of enterprise and workforce transformation schemes.

The schemes include AI-specific initiatives such as the Enterprise Compute Initiative (ECI), alongside broader programmes including the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) and Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package (EWTP). These programmes support businesses in upgrading, innovating, growing and transforming their operations, including through AI projects.

The schemes are available to Singapore-based companies across sectors.

The parliamentary question sought quarterly data on the amount of support disbursed to employers for AI capability building over the previous four quarters, the proportion this represented of total employer support, and the sectors receiving the highest amounts.

The Ministry said it tracks projects supported and grant assistance provided under AI-specific schemes. However, initiatives such as ECI and Champions of AI were launched only in 2025 or 2026, meaning there has not yet been sufficient time to provide meaningful disbursement figures.

The Government said it expects to be able to report such figures once the schemes have been operating for a longer period and more supported projects have been completed.

The challenge is more complex for broader enterprise support schemes, where AI adoption is often incorporated into larger business transformation projects rather than funded as a standalone component.

In such cases, the Government can identify projects involving AI where relevant, but the overall grant amount allocated to the project does not represent funding for the AI component alone.

This means that current grant data may not provide a direct measure of how much government funding employers are receiving specifically for AI adoption or workforce capability building.

The response comes as Singapore continues to expand government support for businesses seeking to adopt AI and develop workforce capabilities around emerging technologies. The approach combines dedicated AI initiatives with broader enterprise transformation programmes, while the Government continues to build a clearer picture of AI-related support as newer schemes mature.