Singapore has ranked second globally—and first in Asia Pacific—for overall AI readiness, according to Salesforce’s newly released Global AI Readiness Index. The recognition reinforces Singapore’s longstanding leadership in artificial intelligence and underscores its national strategy’s effectiveness in laying the groundwork for the next phase of AI transformation: agentic AI.
The Salesforce index evaluates 16 key global markets using 31 indicators across governance, adoption, innovation, investment, and talent. Singapore’s high scores, particularly in AI governance and diffusion, highlight its success in fostering an enabling ecosystem through strong public-private collaboration and proactive policymaking.
As AI continues to reshape global industries, the ability of countries to harness its potential—especially agentic AI, which enables autonomous decision-making and task execution—is becoming a defining metric of economic competitiveness. For Singapore, this is not just about technology deployment; it’s about preparing its workforce and institutions for an AI-augmented future.
Brian Kealey, Country Leader at Salesforce Singapore, emphasised this direction: “The Index highlights Singapore’s success as a global leader in AI readiness, stemming from early investments in infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and human capital.”
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Singapore achieved the top global rank in regulatory frameworks, scoring 9.8 versus a global average of 8.6. Its robust policies—such as the Model AI Governance Framework and National AI Strategy 2.0—translate principles into real-world governance via sandboxes and assurance frameworks.
The city-state also leads in AI diffusion, scoring 8.0 compared to the global average of 5.8, thanks to initiatives such as Smart Nation and AI procurement guidelines that integrate AI into urban planning, transport, and public services.
On talent, Singapore ranks third globally, backed by a national upskilling strategy. Its AI talent pipeline, while strong, still trails leaders such as Germany and the US, signaling further room for growth.
Innovation lags, but potential is high
Despite high marks across most areas, Singapore lags in AI innovation ecosystems, scoring 0.7 versus the global average of 1.7. The challenge lies in expanding beyond a concentrated innovation landscape into emerging subfields such as agentic AI—a category that could redefine productivity.
Agentic AI is seen as representing the next frontier. With potential efficiency gains of up to 30 per cent, agentic systems allow organisations to deploy autonomous agents that can work around the clock—especially critical for economies such as Singapore facing tight labour markets and demographic shifts.
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