Singapore's S$154.7B AI Bet: Inside the Six Missions Reshaping a Nation

Singapore unveiled its most ambitious budget in history this month, and artificial intelligence sits at the center of it all. The S$154.69 billion spending plan for 2026 does not merely mention AI. It reorganizes the entire machinery of government around it.Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will personally chair a new National AI Council. Seven of his most senior ministers will sit alongside him. Together they will direct six national AI missions across four economic sectors.Singapore's total budget for fiscal year 2026 reaches S$154.69 billion. The government has already placed S$4 billion with nine asset managers for AI-related investments. The country has also committed approximately S$27 billion to AI infrastructure.The National AI Council will oversee six AI missions focused on four sectors: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare. Each mission targets sector-specific transformation with defined outcomes.Perhaps the most unusual element is direct citizen engagement. Singaporeans who enroll in selected AI training courses will receive six months of free access to premium AI tools. TechSkills Accelerator will expand AI training to non-technology sectors, starting with legal and accountancy.