Microsoft has announced a slew of new initiatives aimed at enabling small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore to harness the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI).
At the heart is the second wave of Microsoft’s AI Pinnacle Program, which includes partnerships with government agencies such as Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), AI Singapore (AISG) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
The goal is to help SMEs boost productivity and competitiveness by leveraging AI-powered solutions such as Microsoft Copilot.
Under a memorandum of understanding with EnterpriseSG and AISG, Microsoft aims to empower more than 1,000 SMEs to tap into the benefits of AI innovation in the next two years.
The Microsoft Copilot for SMEs programme will support SMEs in adopting the Copilot AI-powered productivity tool across key functions such as HR, finance, sales, and marketing. EnterpriseSG will subsidise half of the license costs for eligible businesses for a 12-month period.
Upskilling SMEs and Tech Vendors
The programme will also leverage Microsoft’s partner ecosystem to provide training and resources for SMEs to effectively implement the AI solution across different business processes. Microsoft, EnterpriseSG and AISG will collaborate on capability building and educating SMEs on responsible AI use.
“AI technologies can help many resource-strapped SMEs to do more with less. We will continue partnering with partners like Microsoft, to spur AI adoption and development among SMEs so that they can uplift competitiveness and better scale up their businesses,” said Soh Leng Wan, Assistant Managing Director (Manufacturing) of EnterpriseSG.
Empowering Digitally Mature Enterprises
Microsoft is collaborating with IMDA to uplift the AI capabilities of digitally mature local enterprises in Singapore. Under IMDA’s GenAI x Digital Leaders initiative, Microsoft will conduct technology discovery workshops, provide tech advisory, and enable companies to develop and deploy customised generative AI (GenAI) solutions with funding support from IMDA.
To accelerate AI adoption among SMEs, the partners will also support tech vendors under IMDA’s SMEs Go Digital programme to integrate their solutions with AI capabilities, enabling SMEs to access more AI solutions to boost productivity, foster innovation, and deliver superior customer experiences.
Addressing Skills Gap and Workforce Readiness
The latest announcements build on Microsoft’s collaborations with SkillsFuture Singapore and NTUC LearningHub to equip SMEs and workers with the skills needed to harness AI solutions effectively. These partnerships aim to benefit thousands of SMEs and train up to 100,000 workers in AI literacy over the next few years.
“We want to create an ecosystem where leaders are empowered to develop an AI strategy and roadmap, and employees are equipped with the skills, tools, and technology to thrive in the era of AI,” said Lee Hui Li, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore.
Photo caption: (From left) Kiren Kumar, Deputy Chief Executive, IMDA; Laurence Liew, Director, AI Innovation, AISG; Andrea Della Mattea, President, Microsoft Asean; Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry; Lee Hui Li, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore; Soh Leng Wan, Assistant Managing Director (Manufacturing), EnterpriseSG
Entelechy Asia 