Southeast Asia is poised to reap a significant economic benefit from the adoption of AI, with an estimated increase in the region’s total gross domestic product of up to US$950 billion or 13 per cent by 20301. Singapore, in particular, is taking a leading role in AI development, presenting a tremendous opportunity for local businesses.
While SMBs often face challenges in managing multiple responsibilities with limited resources, AI offers solutions that can streamline tasks and enhance efficiency. Meta’s range of AI-based products, for example, can optimise ad campaigns, improve customer experience, and provide actionable insights for business growth. By integrating AI tools, SMB owners can delegate routine tasks, optimise operations, and gain more time to focus on strategic aspects of their business or simply enjoy a better work-life balance. This not only helps businesses stay competitive in the digital era but also allows them to explore new opportunities and reach their full potential.
The Upskill with Meta program for this year officially began with a launch event that took place today. Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, Mr Tan Kiat How, was the guest of honour for the event, where he gave an opening speech and joined in a panel discussion on "Building for inclusive growth: AI for SMBs" to mark the beginning of this year’s program. He was joined by Damian Kim, Singapore Managing Director at Meta; Daryl Chew, Founder of Nail Deck; and Sher-li Torrey, Founder of Mums@Work. The panel discussion set the tone for a thought-provoking exploration of AI's potential to empower SMBs and drive inclusive growth.
The expanded AI-focused Upskill with Meta program offers a comprehensive framework for growth, comprising three key pillars, benefitting SMBs; AI student practitioners; and educators. In the SMB program, businesses can benefit from an 8-month program, running until the end of the year, and can apply for free. The program provides a series of masterclasses on AI-powered digital marketing and business messaging tools, dedicated mentorship support from Meta experts, and opportunities to grow business connections. In the student practitioner program, Meta has partnered with AI Singapore and others to provide AI student practitioners with complimentary access to online Llama education resources and training opportunities, as well as our AI Accelerator program, aiming to benefit 4,500 students, including those from all polytechnics in Singapore (in collaboration with Sustainable Living Lab SL2). In the educators program, Meta and AI Singapore will scale homegrown educational resources to benefit 100 ASEAN teachers through a train-the-trainer program, promoting a culture of continuous learning and development, aiming to benefit 5,000 AI student practitioners across the region by 2025.
