Singapore Expands Public Sector AI Partnerships and Launches MPowerHer Programme

Singapore is expanding collaboration with industry to accelerate responsible artificial intelligence adoption across government, businesses and society. Speaking at Microsoft Singapore’s Public Sector Solutions Day 2026, Minister of State Rahayu Mahzam outlined new initiatives aimed at strengthening AI capability, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and ensuring inclusive participation in the digital economy. The announcement included the launch of the MPowerHer programme to support women in technology and a new government data platform designed to strengthen secure AI deployment.

According to the speech at Microsoft Public Sector Solutions Day 2026, Singapore’s approach to AI development centres on partnerships across government, industry, academia and civil society. The strategy aims to ensure that technological progress delivers public value while maintaining strong governance and inclusion.

Public–Private Partnerships Supporting AI Adoption

Singapore has been working with Microsoft on several initiatives to accelerate AI capability building across the economy. One example is the AI Pinnacle Programme, introduced in 2024 to support companies and government agencies in developing AI roadmaps, products and transformation strategies.

More recently, Microsoft and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) launched the SME AI Adoption Programme in February 2026. The initiative provides practical tools and support to help SMEs deploy AI solutions tailored to their operational needs.

Research collaboration has also expanded through the establishment of the Singapore Microsoft Research Asia Lab in July 2025. The facility, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, focuses on healthcare research and spatial intelligence in partnership with academic institutions. Such initiatives complement broader efforts to develop scalable and trustworthy AI capabilities, including work highlighted in building end-to-end AI systems for healthcare.

Within government, Microsoft has also partnered with GovTech and the National AI Group on the LAUNCH! AI Incubator Programme, where agency teams experiment with and prototype new AI-powered services.

Encouraging Inclusive Participation in the AI Economy

While Singapore already reports strong levels of AI usage, policymakers emphasised the importance of ensuring that the benefits of AI are widely shared. Microsoft’s 2025 Global AI Adoption Report ranked Singapore second globally in AI diffusion, with approximately 60.9% of the population using AI tools for learning, work or problem-solving.

To expand participation, the government announced the MPowerHer programme, developed in collaboration with Microsoft Singapore, IMDA’s Singapore Women in Tech (SGWIT), mums@work and Code; Without Barriers. The initiative aims to support women entering or returning to the technology sector.

The programme provides an end-to-end pathway that includes training in practical digital and AI skills, career coaching, mentorship and community engagement. It also encourages participants to apply their learning to real-world projects, helping build confidence and industry readiness among women at different career stages.

Applying AI to Public Service Delivery

Singapore’s public sector is also developing AI tools that directly support frontline services. One example is Scribe, an AI-powered transcription and summarisation tool created through the Open Government Products initiative “Hack for Public Good”.

The tool was designed in consultation with medical social workers, who needed more efficient ways to structure and retrieve case information. By automatically transcribing conversations and generating structured summaries, Scribe reduces administrative work and saves an estimated 36 minutes per conversation, enabling social workers to spend more time engaging with patients.

Strengthening Secure Data Foundations for Government AI

Alongside innovation, officials highlighted the importance of secure infrastructure and data governance. Singapore announced Microsoft’s commitment to introduce the GoLocal Microsoft Fabric Unified Data Platform for government use.

The platform is designed to integrate data across organisational silos while maintaining on-premises data mirroring. This approach aligns with Singapore’s Government on Commercial Cloud (GCC) operating model and supports operational resilience while maintaining government control over sensitive data.

Efforts to build trusted data ecosystems are increasingly central to public sector AI strategies. Singapore has also been strengthening its broader approach to data protection and AI governance, alongside initiatives aimed at breaking down data silos to support public sector AI ecosystems.

Officials emphasised that combining public sector mission-driven priorities with private sector innovation will remain central to Singapore’s AI strategy. By strengthening partnerships, expanding skills programmes and reinforcing trusted data infrastructure, the government aims to ensure that AI delivers practical benefits for citizens while remaining secure and inclusive.