Committee of Supply 2026 debate, Day 3: Josephine Teo on positioning Singaporeans to seize AI opportunities and progress together

Singapore wants to take full advantage of AI's ability to be democratised - for its benefits to spread widely, said Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo. This is why the government is creating the National AI Impact Programme to turn AI's possibilities into reality, she said in parliament on Monday (Mar 2). It wants to encourage those who have not started to take the first step and help those already using AI to move beyond basic applications over the next three years. The programme aims to support 10,000 local enterprises to integrate AI into their business processes. This will create a sizeable pool of early adopters, with multipliers in the community sharing their experiences and knowledge. For a start, the government will support 100,000 workers to become AI bilingual. They will be pathfinders for meaningful AI upskilling for others to emulate. The initial focus will be on professions that are highly exposed to AI and serve multiple industries. By accelerating AI adoption, strengthening technology governance and building discernment amongst the people, the government is positioning Singaporeans to seize the opportunities and make progress together, said Mrs Teo.