Singapore Budget 2026: Tech vendors optimistic on AI opportunities

Acknowledging the growing deployment and use of AI in the country, tech vendors believe the National AI Council, investments and other initiatives announced by the government will drive more innovation and adoption.

Singapore is establishing a National AI Council to guide its AI strategy. The council, chaired by Lawrence Wong, Singapore Prime Minister will initiate focused AI projects aimed at transforming major sectors of the economy.

Making the announcement when tabling Singapore’s Budget 2026 in parliament, Prime Minister Wong emphasized the importance of leveraging AI as a strategic advantage for Singapore and assured that workforce inclusion remains a priority.

Apart from the National AI Council, there will also be a new program to offer customized support to organizations in the country. The Champions of AI will offer tailored workforce training to all Singaporeans.

“Singapore will not be passive in the face of rapid changes around us. We will adapt. We will compete. We will continue to move forward with confidence. By harnessing AI as a strategic advantage, we will shape our own future and secure our place in this changed world,” the Prime Minister said.

Following the announcement, several tech vendors shared their views with CRN Asia. Acknowledging the growing deployment and use of AI in the country, these vendors believe the National AI Council, investments and other initiatives announced by the government will drive more innovation and adoption.

Here’s what they had to say:

Andy Sim, Vice President and Managing Director, Singapore at Dell Technologies

Singapore’s $37 billion commitment to Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) plan, as well as new national-level programs and councils focused on AI advancement signal its determination to remain competitive among larger economies. This investment is crucial for helping all businesses, government agencies and educational institutions move beyond experimentation and deploy AI solutions that deliver tangible productivity gains and drive innovation.

Equally significant is addressing workforce readiness. Technology investments will only deliver returns if our workforce can effectively harness them. Bridging this skills gap requires public-private collaboration, as no single entity can do it alone.

At Dell Technologies, we're committed to advancing Singapore's AI ambitions through our APJ AI Innovation Hub and partnerships with local institutions. By co-developing solutions and upskilling talent across the ecosystem, we're empowering enterprises and workers to seize the opportunities of the AI era and secure Singapore's position as a regional innovation leader.

Alexey Navolokin, General Manager, APAC at AMD

The new Champions of AI program and enhancements to Enterprise Innovation Scheme announced today at Singapore Budget is a strong step forward in positioning Singapore as a leading AI hub. Continued investment in talent development, R&D, and infrastructure expansion provides critical foundations for sustained innovation and competitiveness. As AI evolves at pace, two areas will be essential to future-proof Singapore’s AI strategy.

First, optimizing AI goes beyond GPUs. Delivering real-world performance requires a balanced mix of high-performance CPUs, GPUs, neural processing, edge computing, efficient networking, and tightly integrated software and hardware. AI will not be defined by a single model or deployment environment – we need the right compute for the right job.

Second, openness is a strategic imperative. As AI systems become more complex and distributed, open-source software and hardware ecosystems enable flexibility, interoperability, and faster innovation. Initiatives such as open software stacks like AMD ROCm, or open standards like the Open Compute Project, Ultra Accelerator Link, and Ultra Ethernet Consortium help ensure scalable AI infrastructure that gives developers and organizations choice and not limited by proprietary solutions.

By embracing open, heterogeneous compute, Singapore can build resilient AI infrastructure that keeps pace with rapid technological change while maintaining global competitiveness and local relevance.

Kenneth Poh, Country Manager of Singapore and the Philippines, NetApp

Singapore’s foresight, resilience, and ability to deliver outsized outcomes despite limited resources continue to underscore the nation’s sharp strategic thinking. The Budget 2026 announcements — including the formation of a National AI Council, enhancements to the Productivity Solutions Grant, and the launch of the Champions of AI program — signal a deliberate shift towards building an intelligent, future‑ready digital economy.

Crucially, these initiatives recognize that sustainable AI impact will not come from experimentation alone, but from enterprises investing in strong, trusted AI foundations — where data is connected, secure, and governed — enabling organizations to scale innovation with confidence and unlock real business value from enterprise AI.

Richard Scott, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & Japan, Informatica, Salesforce

The formation of a National AI Council and the focus on sector-specific 'AI missions' show that Singapore is taking a coordinated, outcomes-driven approach to AI.

From what we’re seeing in our recent CDO Insights research with data leaders across the region, the study reveals a “trust paradox” - while organizations are eager to innovate with AI, many are still facing challenges of scaling AI responsibly.

As AI becomes deeply embedded in key sectors such as healthcare, finance and manufacturing, success hinges on strong data foundations, clear governance and workforce readiness. Aligning innovation with accountability from the outset is essential for these 'AI missions' to deliver meaningful impact for the nation.

Adeline Liew, Country Business Leader, Singapore, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise

As Singapore accelerates its ambition to lead in the global AI economy, Budget 2026 marks a decisive shift from aspiration to execution. The establishment of the National AI Council reinforces that AI-led transformation is now a national priority central to economic competitiveness and public sector modernization.

While much of the public discourse focuses on AI models and applications, a more immediate challenge for enterprises lies beneath the surface: infrastructure readiness. Budget 2026’s enhancements to the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) for AI-enabled solutions and the introduction of the Champions of AI program recognize that digital transformation is not solely about deploying intelligent software. It requires organizations to re-architect data flows, redesign workflows, and modernize the foundational systems that connect people, processes, and technology.

Across sectors such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and customer service, AI systems depend on fast, resilient, and secure networks to operate effectively. The performance of AI applications is directly tied to the reliability of the infrastructure supporting them. Without robust connectivity and secure, high-performance networks, AI investments risk underdelivering productivity gains and service improvements.

To unlock the full economic potential of Singapore’s AI investments, infrastructure must be viewed as a strategic enabler rather than a back-office utility. AI readiness should be treated as a core business capability—embedded into enterprise architecture, security frameworks, and operational strategy. This includes networks designed to handle high-volume data traffic intelligently, ensure real-time responsiveness, and safeguard digital assets.

As national investment in AI continues to expand, competitive advantages will increasingly favor organizations that have built a resilient and scalable digital foundation. Achieving the ambitions set by the National AI Council will require not only innovation at the application layer, but also modernization at the infrastructure layer.

The future of Singapore’s AI economy will not be defined by algorithms alone—it will be shaped by the strength, security, and intelligence of the networks that power them.

Ravi Rajendran, Area Vice President, ASEAN, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea at Elastic

Singapore’s Budget 2026 sets an ambitious path for the nation to secure a 'national strategic advantage' through AI. The establishment of the National AI Council and targeted missions in advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare align perfectly with our mission at Elastic: to drive tangible, sector-wide impact with AI.

Trust and relevance will bridge AI potential and real-world results. For Singapore’s sector missions to succeed, AI systems must be grounded in proprietary context to ensure they are responsible, accurate, and secure. We believe the future of productivity lies in Agentic AI - autonomous systems that execute complex tasks with rigour.

However, technology is only as effective as the people who use it. We’re aligned with the government’s focus on building AI literacy and providing practical AI tools to the workforce through hands-on initiatives like the Forge the Future Hackathon and ElasticON Singapore, where we equip workers with skills needed to build and lead in an AI-driven economy.

Christanto Suryadarma, Head of Partnerships for APAC, Zebra Technologies

The establishment of the National AI Council and the launch of Singapore’s national AI missions mark a significant step in accelerating AI adoption, especially in advanced manufacturing. A coordinated national approach provides enterprises with greater clarity and confidence to scale AI responsibly.

Through Zebra’s collaboration with partners such as the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, we see growing momentum among manufacturers adopting AI in practical, results driven ways that strengthen competitiveness and resilience.

The priority now is moving from experimentation to implementation. This is the era of intelligent operations. The greatest impact comes from embedding AI at the connected frontline, from automation and machine vision to predictive maintenance and real time visibility. Zebra remains committed to supporting Singapore’s AI ambitions by enabling smarter decisions, higher productivity and innovation for the connected frontline.

Kunal Jha, Regional Director Asia at Netskope

I think the measures unveiled in today's budget will help Singaporean organizations large and small unlock the value of AI deployments and accelerate AI projects. The launch of a National AI Council that the Prime Minister will personally lead captures the ambition of this Government to make AI a central component of our economy.

However, adoption cannot be the only goal. Instilling excellent AI governance standards is an essential component of driving responsible adoption, because bad governance can negate the benefits of AI. The potential review of regulations governing AI, and the availability of sandbox environments for safe and responsible AI development are, therefore, welcome initiatives.

Jessica Zhang, Senior Vice President, APAC, ADP

As Singapore navigates global uncertainty and rapid technological change, the concept of job security is being redefined. It is no longer only about preserving roles, but about sustaining employability - ensuring workers have the skills, visibility and support needed to adapt as business needs evolve. In this context, workforce resilience is central to long-term economic stability.

For employers, this calls for a shift from reactive responses to more forward-looking workforce planning. Greater visibility into workforce costs, skills distribution, and employment patterns enables organizations to anticipate change earlier, redeploy talent where possible, and support reskilling before disruption takes hold. Workforce and payroll data therefore play an increasingly important role in informing decisions that are both practical and equitable.

As Budget priorities continue to emphasize productivity, skills development, and inclusive growth, workforce resilience will be shaped by trust, transparency, and long-term workforce capability. In a modern economy, job security is not achieved by resisting change, but by equipping workers to move through it with greater confidence.

Love Srivastava, Regional Head, Singapore and Greater China, Confluent

Singapore’s Budget 2026 marks a decisive step in advancing the nation’s AI ambitions. The launch of new National AI Missions alongside the establishment of a National AI Council chaired by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong - signals a coordinated effort to move with greater speed and scale in harnessing AI’s potential.

The introduction of the Champions of AI programme and the expansion of the Productivity Solutions Grant are particularly timely. While many organisations are experimenting with AI, few have undertaken a full end-to-end transformation. True AI impact requires more than deploying tools - it means reorganising data, modernising legacy systems, redesigning jobs and retraining workers.

As businesses race to scale AI, talent alone is not enough. AI is only as powerful as the data behind it. Many businesses today face what we call the “AI context gap”, where models lack access to real-time, trusted data needed to generate accurate, relevant outcomes. Closing this gap is critical for enterprises seeking to scale AI projects into measurable business value. This means modernising siloed systems so data can flow seamlessly across the organisation, supported by strong governance and trust.

Singapore’s commitment to strengthening AI literacy, supporting workforce transitions, and building innovation hubs such as the new AI park at one-north creates the right conditions for this shift. By investing in both people and modern data infrastructure, Singapore is positioning its businesses to innovate faster, respond more dynamically to market changes, compete globally and translate AI ambitions into sustained growth and long-term resilience.

Alex Teo, Vice President & Managing Director of Southeast Asia, Siemens Digital Industries Software

As Budget 2026 highlights the importance of workforce readiness and productivity, many organizations are coming to terms with the fact that technology and AI are becoming increasingly embedded in engineering and manufacturing workflows. The question for businesses is no longer whether these tools will be used, but how they are introduced in ways that support people and existing ways of working.

Across industries, roles are evolving as products and production systems become more complex and software-driven. At the same time, companies are navigating workforce transitions as experienced employees move on and new talent enters with different skill sets. In Singapore’s tight labor market, this transition is often less about expanding headcount and more about helping existing teams work effectively across more complex, software-driven environments. Digitalization helps address this challenge by making knowledge more accessible, improving collaboration across teams, and reducing time spent on manual or repetitive tasks.

AI embedded within engineering and manufacturing software can help teams work more efficiently by providing decision support, surfacing potential issues earlier, and helping users navigate increasingly complex systems. Importantly, these capabilities deliver the most value when paired with clear training, transparency, and human oversight, ensuring that people understand both the benefits and the limitations of the technology.

In 2026, building a future-ready workforce will depend on how well organisations help their people adapt to technology that is already becoming part of day-to-day work, while ensuring it is used responsibly to lift productivity and long-term competitiveness.

Raen Lim, APJ Managing Director at Qualtrics

Budget 2026 is sending a clear yet familiar message: more AI adoption, more compute power, more upskilling, and more support for employees. The harder question is the one that will decide whether any of it sticks. Who will trust it? Without trust from customers and employees, AI won’t scale beyond pilots, and the returns on infrastructure and tooling will be capped.

Tiered access to tools and expanded compute power can help more firms get started. Expanded access will help avoid bottlenecks, but the real test is confidence. Consumers are already signaling that AI’s promise is outrunning reality, especially in day-to-day experiences like customer service. Singaporeans are among the most optimistic about AI’s societal impact, yet far fewer trust organizations to use it responsibly. That gap is where adoption stalls.

One immediate way to make the budget work harder is to scale synthetic data as a national enabler. Synthetic data can unlock faster experimentation and safer model development when privacy and access constraints slow progress. However, quality and validation must be taken seriously. Encourage shared testing, benchmarks and best practices so synthetic data accelerates innovation without compromising data integrity or consumer trust.

If Singapore wants to be a ‘trusted AI hub’, the next step is to treat trust like national infrastructure which requires measurable governance. With AI Verify and Project Moonshot underway, the opportunity is to turn Singapore’s trust framework into a regional benchmark. This way, organizations can demonstrate that systems have met clear standards for transparency, data stewardship, safety testing and accountability. It would be a signal of proof that helps enterprises buy, deploy and scale AI with confidence across the region.

Rahul Nambiar, CEO and Co-Founder of Botsync

Singapore’s push to harness AI and move beyond isolated pilots creates a strong foundation for Industry 5.0. Autonomous Mobile Robots are central to addressing workforce constraints, boosting productivity, and strengthening supply chain resilience across manufacturing and logistics.

For startups and enterprises alike, scaling adoption depends on interoperable, AI-enabled orchestration platforms, robust automation infrastructure, and sustained workforce upskilling. Continued support for deep-tech startups, alongside incentives for enterprise-wide transformation, will help translate this AI ambition into real operational impact, building competitive industries, and long-term sustainable growth.