Singapore – The Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME) Singapore, Straits Interactive, and Singapore Management University (SMU) Academy have announced a joint initiative to drive the adoption of generative AI among SMEs.
In this effort, the organisations aim to introduce the first hands-on Advanced Certificate in Generative AI Applications Design and Prompt Engineering course in Singapore. This strategic move will equip business professionals with the skills to create, deploy, and brand their own AI-powered solutions.
With Singapore’s latest budget emphasising skills development, the initiative further reinforces the importance of equipping business professionals with AI expertise tailored to their industry.
It also enables SMEs in the country to differentiate themselves by creating their own branded AI solutions, rather than relying on generic Gen AI tools in the market.
As a new course, it is designed for non-technical business professionals with no coding knowledge, allowing them to unlock Gen AI’s potential in business environments. The course is also a collaboration between Straits Interactive and SMU Academy, with ASME contributing to the ecosystem, digital transformation strategy, and overall strategic direction.
Participants will gain hands-on experience in transforming basic prompts into AI-powered applications that drive efficiency across five key business sectors, including customer service & sales, compliance & legal, learning & development, human resources, as well as marketing & public relations.
Moreover, the course also provides step-by-step support for participants to create, brand, and implement their own GenAI tools. With a focus on responsible AI use, it further introduces key platforms like Straits Interactive’s Capabara, tailored for those new to Gen AI.
Participants will then explore how large language models (LLMs) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) can drive efficiency and provide a market advantage.
In addition, the course also enables SMEs to implement Gen AI in meaningful, revenue-generating ways by equipping business leaders and professionals with practical AI skills. This is particularly relevant today following the widespread adoption of DeepSeek that has driven the rapid implementation of cost-effective open-source LLMs by businesses.
Ang Yuit, president at ASME Singapore, said, “According to Singapore’s Digital Economy Report 2024, the AI adoption rate among SMEs is only 4.2%. This programme will certainly help SMEs enable Generative AI capabilities. Our role at ASME is to create the right ecosystem for SMEs to succeed in AI adoption.”
“This initiative complements our efforts in AI Festival Asia 2025, where we focus on AI adoption, digitalisation and cybersecurity. By partnering with Straits Interactive and SMU Academy, we are providing SMEs with a structured pathway to leverage Gen AI for business innovation,” added Ang.
Kevin Shepherdson, CEO at Straits Interactive, remarked, ”AI adoption is not just about having access to powerful tools—it’s about having the right skills and applying AI in relevant business contexts. Our goal is to help SMEs design Gen AI applications that integrate seamlessly into their operations, creating real business value while addressing AI risks and constraints.”
Interestingly, the initiative also complements ASME’s mission to empower SMEs in their digital transformation journey. Through its ecosystem partnerships, ASME provides industry guidance and a platform for businesses to adopt AI-driven solutions effectively.
