Government expands AI fluency beyond tech sector to accountants, lawyers and SMEs
Singapore will train 100,000 workers in artificial intelligence by 2029 under a new National AI Impact Programme (NAIIP) aimed at embedding AI skills across industries.
100,000 Workers to Be AI-Ready by 2029
The new National AI Impact Programme (NAIIP) aims to equip 100,000 workers with AI capabilities by 2029. It will also help 10,000 enterprises adopt AI tools over the next three years.
Announcing the initiative on March 2 during her ministry’s budget debate, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said professionals do not need to become AI engineers, but should be “bilingual” in AI and their respective domains.
TeSA Expands to Non-Tech Professions
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) will expand its TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) for the first time to include non-tech sectors such as accountancy and law. Human resources and other professions are expected to follow.
AI fluency programs, developed with professional bodies like the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants and the Singapore Academy of Law, will launch in the first half of 2026.
Practical AI Skills for Professionals
Accountants will learn to apply AI in financial reporting and compliance monitoring, while lawyers will use it for research, document review and contract management. The goal is to redesign workflows for greater efficiency.
Participants will also be trained in responsible AI use and data governance, enabling them to focus more on high-value work such as risk analysis, decision-making and client advisory.
AI Success Story at KPMG
Mrs Teo highlighted KPMG senior manager Geraldine Lau as an example of an AI “bilingual” professional. In 2024, Lau created an AI agent to extract and summarize merger and regulatory announcements from the Singapore Exchange.
The tool halved the time needed for audit risk assessments, allowing her to focus on deeper analysis while ensuring the AI system searched the right data using her domain expertise.
Supporting Enterprises in AI Adoption
NAIIP will also introduce a Digital Leaders Accelerator Bootcamp to help business leaders build hands-on AI project experience. More details will be released in the first half of 2026.
To encourage broader adoption, the Productivity Solutions Grant will increase its share of AI-enabled solutions to 50 percent, up from 30 percent, helping smaller businesses keep pace with larger firms.
Singapore’s latest push reflects a strategy to integrate AI across the economy, not just within the tech sector. By combining domain expertise with AI fluency, the government aims to future-proof both workers and enterprises in an increasingly digital economy.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Infonasional (2026)
Keywords: AI Fluency Programme Singapore, TeSA Expansion, SME AI Adoption, Digital Leaders Bootcamp, Singapore Digital Economy
