Delivered Speech by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Trade) Gan Kim Yong at SWITCH 2026 Opening Ceremony

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Good morning, and a warm welcome to SWITCH 2026.

2. Each year, SWITCH brings together researchers with new ideas, entrepreneurs building businesses, investors backing their growth, and companies looking for solutions.

3. SWITCH has grown substantially since its first edition in 2016, from more than 5,000 participants, to over 25,000 attendees from 100 countries today.

4. AI is a central focus of this year’s SWITCH. We hope to explore ways to make AI work better for our industries, our companies and our workers, to build an economy that is more innovative, competitive and inclusive.

Developing new industrial capabilities and sources of growth

5. For our industries, AI offers opportunities to improve productivity, and develop new products and capabilities.

6. Earlier this year, PM Lawrence Wong announced four sectoral AI missions – in advanced manufacturing, finance, healthcare and connectivity. The Government is developing initiatives in these sectors to put AI to work on important industry challenges.

7. One example in advanced manufacturing is to apply AI to accelerate the discovery of new materials, with applications in semiconductors, energy and chemicals.

a. Google’s Project GNoME and Microsoft’s MatterGen have shown the potential of AI to accelerate materials discovery.

b. But a promising material must also be synthesised, validated and manufactured at scale before industry can use it.

c. Turning a scientific breakthrough into a commercially useful product remains a significant challenge.

8. To address this, I am pleased to announce the Materials Accelerator for Research and Venture Enterprise Launchpad, or MARVEL-AI.

a. Led by A*STAR, and supported by the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, Enterprise Singapore, the Economic Development Board and the National Research Foundation, MARVEL-AI will kick off with a S$150 million Government investment.

9. MARVEL-AI will establish an integrated platform combining advanced AI models with self-driving laboratories.

a. The models will identify promising materials and design experiments, while the laboratories will rapidly synthesise and test them.

10. To bring these developments into industrial use, MARVEL-AI will connect researchers with companies.

a. Enterprises – including startups and SMEs – will gain access to the research expertise, infrastructure and validation capabilities they need.

b. This will create opportunities for industry partnerships, enterprise growth and new ventures.

11. We will also develop talent with capabilities spanning materials science, AI and automation, while creating good job opportunities for everyone.

12. Together, these efforts can deepen our industrial capabilities, develop new sources of growth, and strengthen Singapore’s position in advanced materials innovation.

Helping companies transform how they compete and grow

13. At the same time, individual companies must consider how AI can change the way they operate, compete and grow.

14. Trying out an AI tool or undertaking a pilot can be a useful starting point. But more substantial gains will require companies to look across their operations: rethink business processes, build new capabilities and identify new opportunities for growth. These efforts require commitment and leadership from the top.

15. Over the past six months, Enterprise Singapore has engaged companies and industry experts to identify businesses with the ambition and commitment as well as concrete plans to undertake this transformation.

16. Today, I am pleased to announce the first cohort of 24 companies, spanning various sectors, under the Champions of AI initiative.

a. This initiative will support these ambitious Singapore-based companies in making AI a core driver of growth through enterprise-wide transformation.

b. I am confident more companies will come on board this initiative progressively.

17. To succeed, people must be part of this transformation from the outset.

a. Our Champions are committed to developing their workforce, creating new jobs, redesigning roles and building AI capabilities across their organisations.

b. Their investment in people will be essential to making effective use of the technology.

18. Our Champions’ contribution will also extend beyond their own businesses.

a. They are committed to supporting their smaller suppliers and others in their wider business ecosystems.

b. By sharing their experience, they can help other companies understand what meaningful AI transformation involves, and give them the confidence to make changes of their own.

Enabling more businesses and their workers to benefit

19. The Champions can help show what is possible. But companies will still need different support, depending on their capabilities and circumstances.

20. Where businesses face common challenges within an industry, we can help develop solutions that will be available to companies with similar needs.

21. Through Catalytic AI Solutions, we are supporting SMEs in deploying AI to improve productivity and address these shared needs.

22. Take logistics for example. AI can help companies allocate jobs across their fleets and optimise routing decisions.

a. Enterprise Singapore will facilitate access to new data sources for Transport Management System providers to train their AI engines.

b. We are also helping companies integrate these AI solutions into their workflows.

23. In wholesale trade, AI can help rice traders make better procurement and inventory management decisions. This supports their business operations while contributing to Singapore’s food security.

24. In addition to these shared industry solutions, we are also helping individual businesses develop the capabilities to apply AI to meet their own needs.

25. Enterprise Singapore’s hands-on agentic AI workshops have helped close to 300 micro-enterprises and small businesses learn to build working prototypes customised to their businesses, using global AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Manus.

a. Together with last-mile deployment expertise, these efforts will help enterprises integrate AI into their day-to-day operations.

26. Companies can also access an expanded range of trusted tools through the SMEs Go Digital platform.

a. More than 100 global AI tools across multiple business functions have been added.

b. A new Pre-approved Solutions Package Builder will also give SMEs flexibility to configure solutions according to their operational requirements.

27. These efforts give businesses practical pathways to get started and deepen their capabilities over time. EnterpriseSG and IMDA are working with trade associations to trial different support channels for enterprises with varying needs and starting points. We will share more early next year.

28. People must be part of our AI plans.

a. Employers need to consider how jobs will change and equip workers with the skills and confidence to take on these changing roles.

b. Job redesign and training should begin in parallel to business process changes, rather than being an afterthought.

29. We want AI to help people spend less time on routine tasks, and more time on work that draws on their judgement, creativity and expertise.

30. Helping businesses transform and helping their workers advance are part of the same task. That is how we can strengthen competitiveness while enabling our people to benefit from the progress we make.

Conclusion

31. SWITCH brings together many of the partners who can help turn these efforts into tangible results.

a. I encourage you to use this opportunity to find partners, address practical challenges and develop new possibilities together.

32. We must turn AI’s capabilities into new opportunities for our businesses and create better jobs for our people. That is how we will build an economy that is more innovative, competitive and inclusive.

33. I wish everyone a fulfilling SWITCH 2026.

34. Thank you.