Running Singapore on innovation: Brains, bytes and billion-dollar growth engines

A key theme that can be found across different industries is the push to innovate and conduct research and development. By Claire Huang

- By Claire Huang

As at mid-2025, Singapore secured more than 40 AI centres of excellence, attracting both digital-native and industrial firms to research and develop various forms of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions here, including those related to proprietary generative AI (GenAI). GenAI is a type of AI that can create new content—such as text, images, audio and video—based on the data it has been trained on.

Last year, Singapore also launched three new accelerators that nurtured more than 50 promising locally based ventures.

This is attributable to Digital Industry Singapore, a joint office formed in 2019 by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), and Infocomm Media Development Authority.

The government has been working with industry players to set up sectoral-based centres of excellence to look at use cases that can be applied widely and build domain-specific capabilities in key economic sectors.

For instance, the Sectoral AI Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing, which was launched in September 2024, supports industry partners and companies in the adoption of GenAI and machine learning in areas such as quality assurance and predictive maintenance. This is to enhance the manufacturing value chain.

AI is just one aspect of Singapore's economic evolution.

EDB chairman Png Cheong Boon said EDB will continue to attract investments that are knowledge and innovation-intensive, aligned with the Republic's transition to a low-carbon economy, and that have high growth potential.

"We are targeting high-value investments that create good jobs requiring deep capabilities and that entail regional or global responsibilities; and where companies have a strong focus on the training and development of employees," he noted.