Budget 2026 put artificial intelligence squarely in the spotlight, rolling out expanded support measures and new initiatives aimed at embedding AI across the economy. But as one Budget-special edition of Industry Insight observed on Feb 18, 2026, announcements are only part of the story — the harder question is whether Singapore’s many small- and medium-sized enterprises can turn pilot projects into lasting, scaled adoption.
On the show, host Lynlee Foo spoke with Kelvin Koh, Co‑Chair of the Singapore Enterprise Chapter of SGTech, who painted a picture of growing SME interest in AI but also flagged familiar scaling obstacles. According to the conversation, early experimentation is rising, yet common barriers — from change management to the need for the right partnerships — still stand between proof‑of‑concepts and real business transformation.
That tension is the theme to watch: policy can create incentives and programmes, but tangible adoption depends on SMEs having the capacity to change processes, access suitable partners and technologies, and sustain implementation beyond initial pilots. The discussion asked what would count as a national tipping point for AI adoption — a signal that the country has moved from experimentation to widespread, meaningful use.
Budget measures may open doors, but the Industry Insight conversation makes clear that bridging the gap will require attention to the human and organisational side of technology, plus practical pathways for smaller firms to scale what works. For Singapore’s AI ambitions to reach the economy’s backbone, the next chapter must focus as much on sustaining adoption as on encouraging it.
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