Google Cloud and Digital Industry Singapore launch programme to spearhead AI development among companies
[SINGAPORE] Digitally-mature companies keen on doing more in the area of artificial intelligence (AI) will now have the opportunity to tap a new programme.
The AI Cloud Take-Off Programme launched on Friday (Jun 13) is a joint venture between Google Cloud and Digital Industry Singapore (DISG). It aims to establish AI centres of excellence in 300 digitally-mature, Singapore-based companies over the next 12 months, said a Google Cloud spokesperson.
DISG is a joint office between the Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore and Infocomm Media Development Authority.
The selected companies stand to receive up to S$500,000 in financial incentives, the spokesperson added.
This programme supersedes the AI Trailblazer programme run by Google Cloud and other government agencies such as Ministry of Digital Development and Information, DISG and Smart Nation Group.
The spokesperson said: 'The market is now at a different stage of AI maturity, one where most organisations we engage with have already tried and adopted at least one enterprise AI solution.'
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For a company to be considered digitally-mature, it needs to:
Be able to commit at least three technical staff to a six-month programme, including a two-week AI capacity building bootcamp, hosted by Google Cloud experts;
Have formal support from an executive sponsor, for example a senior management representative from the company, who will take part in the six-month programme;
Have at least one AI use case ready to be worked on.
On top of the S$500,000 in financial incentives, companies picked to go on the programme will get a chance to work with a DISG-appointed, Google Cloud-certified technical consultancy and implementation partner of their choice to establish their AI centre of excellence.
Google Cloud partners appointed by DISG for this programme include Accenture, AsiaPac, CloudMile, Deloitte, Kendryl, NTT Data and Searce, said Google Cloud in a statement.
'This will empower (companies) to create AI-driven intellectual property, products and services that boost their competitiveness and unlock new revenue opportunities,' said its spokesperson.
Firms are required to achieve a few milestones to qualify for the S$500,000 in financial incentives.
A government grant will cover 70 per cent, capped at S$105,000, of the cost of the company's use of professional services and cloud services during the programme. It will be unlocked only when the company successfully develops and pilots at least one minimum viable product to address its AI use case.
Another S$200,000 worth of licences and credits for Google Cloud Skills Boost for Organisations will be disbursed to facilitate employee training and change management.
The last S$195,000 in Google Cloud credits will be disbursed if and when the company is ready to scale its minimum viable product and commit to doing so with Google Cloud's support. Additional Google Cloud credits may be awarded on a case-by-case basis.
Point-of-sale management system firm Embed was one of the 30 companies selected by Google Cloud for the pilot programme that started in November 2024.
Embed has a presence in 60 countries, including Singapore, where it works with arcade Timezone, and has a global reach of 97 million individual players.
Using generative AI, the company developed an AI-supported kiosk that is able to provide customised game recommendations to players who are adding credits to their payment card.
Andy Welsh, Embed's chief technology officer who responded to queries from The Business Times, said he expects the headcount of Embed in Singapore to go up by about half a dozen following the AI Cloud Take-Off project.
Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said in her speech at the launch of the programme at Mapletree Business City in Pasir Panjang that Singapore strongly believes in the transformative impact of AI, and supports the widespread use and adoption of AI across sectors.
'AI can spur enterprise and workforce transformation. It enables firms to automate manual business processes and augment workers skills, raising productivity, driving innovation, and further growing business revenue,' she said.
She described the AI Cloud Take-Off Programme as a powerful launchpad for companies on their AI innovation journey, from early experimentation to full-scale transformation.
'Companies with the drive to pursue AI innovation and eventually establish AI centres of excellence in Singapore can tap into Google's robust AI ecosystem to accelerate their journey,' she said.
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