Singapore earmarks over S$45 million for AI for manufacturers — Channel NewsAsia
The Singapore government has earmarked more than S$45 million, or about US$35 million, over the next three years to help manufacturing companies adopt artificial intelligence. The funds will be directed to the Catalytic AI Solutions for Advanced Manufacturing initiative, implemented by Enterprise Singapore, Channel NewsAsia reports.
Ready-made solutions for small businesses
According to Minister of State for Energy, Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang, the programme is intended to give manufacturers access to ready-made AI solutions to increase productivity, optimise processes and competitiveness. Small and medium-sized enterprises will be offered a set of tools that can be used without independently developing technologies.
These solutions include optimising product and component design, automating the processing of documents containing requests for quotations, improving production planning and predictive equipment maintenance. Enterprise Singapore will co-fund the implementation of these tools by companies that meet the programme's conditions.
According to the agency, AI solutions can reduce the volume of manual work and response times, improve equipment reliability and help manufacturers maintain consistent product quality. The range of technologies will subsequently be expanded in line with industry needs.
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Development of AI in industry
The initiative is intended to remove typical barriers for small and medium-sized businesses: high development costs, limited access to industry-specific solutions and uncertainty about the results of their use. To this end, the programme will bring together AI developers, system integrators and industry associations.
Manufacturing accounts for nearly 20% of Singapore's GDP and is one of the four areas of the National AI Missions, alongside communications, finance and healthcare. In 2025, nearly one in four companies in the country used AI, compared with approximately one in seven a year earlier.
In addition, Singapore's AI Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing, AIMfg, established by A*STAR and the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry in 2024, will move to a new stage of work. The centre has already worked with 30 manufacturers from the aerospace, semiconductor, pharmaceutical and energy sectors and completed 23 AI implementation projects.
