Singtel’s AI-native transformation plans get Singapore government backing

• Singtel becomes first telco to receive grant from Digital Industry Singapore
• DISG will support Singtel’s efforts to transform into an AI-native telco
• The first phase will see Singtel retrain a quarter of its Singapore staff as AI practitioners

Singtel is teaming up with the Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) on a multi-year AI transformation programme, which is looking to strengthen its capabilities in AI-enabled operations, digital infrastructure and customer platforms.

DISG will provide around $28m Singapore dollars (SGD) (US$22m) in funding to support the Singaporean telco in strengthening its foundational AI capabilities, including the hiring and development of AI talent and the building of technology and governance frameworks. It will also advise Singtel on its approach to supporting enterprise deployment of AI solutions.

Singtel is the first telecom company to receive backing from DISG, which is a government-backed programme looking to drive digital transformation in Singapore.

The first phase of the partnership will focus on Singtel Singapore and will see the telco work with DISG to develop an operating roadmap to enable it to become an AI-native telco.

This will include building and deploying agentic AI and machine-learning capabilities across all Singtel’s local business units. Singtel is aiming to train 3,000 of its Singapore staff as AI practitioners and another 300 as AI specialists (it employs around 13,000 staff in the island nation state).

Singtel also revealed plans to strengthen its core network architecture as it moves towards more autonomous networks, using AI to predict potential network problems and optimise performance, and boost recovery and resilience in complex environments.

Ng Tian Chong, CEO of Singtel Singapore, said: “Singtel Singapore has embedded AI across every touchpoint in our business and are working on building more autonomous and resilient networks, improving customer experiences through agentic AI, and enabling enterprises to deploy AI securely through intelligent digital platforms. This partnership reinforces our commitment to not just transform our own operations but to help enterprises and the industry unlock new value, improve productivity and innovate with confidence. The support from DISG will help us accelerate this transformation while strengthening Singapore’s broader digital ecosystem."

It is the latest step in Singtel’s push into sovereign AI and comes just months after its sovereign AI cloud unit RE:AI announced a partnership with French AI developer Mistral to co-develop AI solutions.

Singapore’s transformation efforts are part of a wider industry shift to AI native. Find out much more about this topic on our AI-Native Telco channel.

- James Pearce, Editor, TelecomTV