IMDA to launch two initiatives to help industry adopt AI

The Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) will launch two initiatives, GenAI Playbook and the GenAI Navigator, to make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible to local businesses and increase its adoption.  

Announcing this last Friday, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How said the GenAI Playbook will provide Singapore enterprises with information on the benefits of GenAI while the GenAI Navigator will recommend generative AI (GenAI) solutions that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can adopt specific to their business needs. 

The Minister noted that the initiatives are meant to keep the momentum going for the growth of Singapore’s digital economy, which has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 11.2 per cent from 2018 to 2023. 

We are doing more to help our workers and enterprises ride the next wave of digitalisation, particularly in AI, the Minister said. 

The free GenAI Playbook will guide enterprises on the key areas to consider when implementing GenAI solutions, as well as the risks and best practices for adoption.  

It also offers examples of how GenAI can help solve business challenges, and help enterprises boost their productivity, transform and grow.  

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The Minister noted that for enterprises just starting to explore GenAI, the playbook illustrates the benefits of GenAI through examples of how technology can help solve business challenges and specific needs. 

“For those deciding between buying off-the-shelf solutions and building proprietary ones, it provides an evaluation framework and information on associated risks to help them make informed choices,” he added. 

Providing insights 

For digitally-mature enterprises seeking more customised solutions, the playbook provides insights on tech capabilities and partners needed to ensure successful implementation, alongside potential risks and governance considerations.  

“So, the Playbook has something for all enterprises,” the Minister said. 

The playbook also guides enterprises on some of the key considerations when deciding whether to buy solutions readily available or to build customised solutions to meet their business requirements.  

IMDA has partnered with other government agencies, as well as industry and academia stakeholders to develop this guidebook. 

These include the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), big tech companies like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft, and the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Business School and School of Computing. 

A guide for SMEs 

For SMEs who are unsure about what kind of AI solutions to adopt, the GenAI Navigator recommends specific GenAI solutions that they can adopt depending on their business needs.

The GenAI Navigator's solution categories include GenAI-enabled solutions for office productivity, customer engagement, marketing, and human resources. The recommended solutions have been pre-approved and come with grant support. 

IMDA will update the navigator as more GenAI solutions are pre-approved. 

The Minister noted that these initiatives will provide businesses with guidance and reduce barriers to AI adoption, helping Singapore’s enterprises to remain competitive in an AI-driven economy. 

Both the GenAI Playbook and the GenAI Navigator will be available on the CTO-as-a-Service platform. 

Last year, IMDA launched a GenAI Sandbox for SMEs which allows companies to experiment with pre-approved GenAI solutions. 

Experiential showcase 

The Minister also announced that to drive awareness of how emerging technologies can benefit citizens, the National Library Board (NLB) will introduce experiential showcases across public libraries to give the public firsthand opportunities to experience how technologies like GenAI can benefit them in common and daily activities.  

These showcases aim to create excitement about the possibilities of such innovations, as well as foster understanding of the limitations and responsibilities when using them, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said.  

Related to this, MDDI said IMDA will enhance the Digital Skills for Life (DSL) framework and work with partners to offer content and programmes about GenAI - introducing Singaporeans to GenAI, explaining its risks and how to manage them.  

The GenAI content has been included under the "Explore information online" and “Be safe, smart and kind online” competencies. 

IMDA launched the DSL framework in 2024, with learning resources and materials to equip all Singaporeans with digital knowledge and skills to conduct daily living tasks online easily and safely, navigate the digital space, and safeguard oneself against online risks. The framework covers a set of five digital competencies that are applicable across digital apps. 

Updating workforce skills 

MDDI noted that AI is transforming Singapore’s economy and for the workforce to stay ahead, they need to be equipped with the skills required to work alongside AI technologies. 

The Government is committed to helping the workforce strengthen their AI capabilities through targeted training programmes, the Ministry said. 

IMDA is also working with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to expand the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace 2.0 (SFDW 2.0) to incorporate AI and GenAI content within the curriculum, including opportunities for workers to gain hands-on experience in using AI tools to improve productivity and effectiveness at the workplace.  

SFDW 2.0 will ensure workers without a technology background learn to use AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to boost productivity.​