In this guide · 7 sections
Short answer
AI Ready 2.0 is UOB FinLab's SME AI programme, developed with IMDA. Launched on 28 September 2026, it adds financing support, AI prototyping workshops and a peer community. Masterclasses and workshops are free for selected SMEs; proof-of-concept work may carry subsidised costs.
What UOB announced on 28 September 2026
In its news release of 28 September 2026, UOB announced AI Ready 2.0, "the enhanced next phase" of its AI Ready Programme led by UOB FinLab. UOB says the programme was developed in partnership with IMDA to help SMEs move from AI awareness to implementation, with support across capability development, prototyping, financing and implementation.
The release gives these first-year figures for the programme, which started in July 2025: more than 600 SMEs engaged, over 10 workshops, over 50 personalised AI discovery engagements and over 800 ecosystem connections between SMEs, technology vendors and experts. UOB's target is to grow from 600 SMEs in year one to 3,000 SMEs by year three.
The three new parts of AI Ready 2.0
UOB lists three enhancements in 2.0. The release describes them in general terms; it does not publish loan amounts, rates or workshop dates.
| Enhancement | What UOB says it does | What is not stated yet |
|---|---|---|
| Enhanced financing support | Helps technology vendors deliver AI solutions faster and gives SMEs resources to develop, deploy and scale AI and upgrade infrastructure | Loan types, amounts, rates or criteria |
| AI prototyping workshops | Hands-on sessions with ecosystem partners to identify AI opportunities, validate use cases and build prototype agents | Schedule, number of places, cost |
| UOB AI Ready Community | A peer-led community connecting SMEs with technology experts, AI practitioners and SMEs that have already adopted AI | How to join and any membership rules |
These sit alongside the existing format described on the FinLab programme page: expert-led masterclasses, practical workshops with plug-and-play solutions, industry workshops and a guided proof-of-concept (POC) phase for selected participants.
Who it is for and what it costs
FinLab's FAQ says the programme is designed for SMEs in Singapore that want to explore and adopt AI to improve operations, customer experience or productivity. It does not publish revenue or headcount limits, and it does not say you must bank with UOB. Places are selective: the FAQ talks about "selected SMEs" and a POC phase "for selected participants".
- Masterclasses and workshops: complimentary for selected SMEs, per FinLab's FAQ.
- POC and implementation: "may involve subsidised costs or special packages", shared during the sessions.
- Financing: a bank financing product; check terms with UOB before you plan around it.
- Partial attendance: FinLab says you can still join selected sessions if you cannot attend the full programme.
Registration for the 28 September 2026 Changemakers Summit closed early. As of October 2026, the FinLab page invites SMEs to submit their interest for the AI Ready Programme 2027.
How AI Ready 2.0 sits next to IMDA's AI support
UOB's programme is a bank-led initiative developed with IMDA, not a government grant. It complements government schemes rather than replacing them. Here is how the main options compare for a small business:
| Option | Run by | What you get | Best first step if |
|---|---|---|---|
| UOB AI Ready 2.0 | UOB FinLab, with IMDA | Workshops, prototyping, peer community, financing | You want guided hands-on sessions and a POC |
| CTO-as-a-Service | IMDA | Free digital consultancy and solution matching | You need an independent view of what to buy |
| SMEs Go Digital AI tools and trials | IMDA with industry partners | Curated AI tools and free trials (Oct 2026) | You want to try ready-made tools first |
| EDGE Grant | Enterprise Singapore | Co-funding for qualifying projects | You have a defined project and a vendor quote |
Our guides to IMDA's October 2026 AI support for SMEs and IMDA's free CTO-as-a-Service consultancy explain those two in detail.
Pick a first AI project with a measurable outcome
The programmes that report results all start with one narrow task, not "use AI more". Before you apply to AI Ready or any other scheme, write down one project like this:
Choose a repetitive task with a clear count
Answering the same 20 customer questions, drafting quotations, sorting supplier invoices or writing tender responses. If you cannot count it, you cannot measure it.
Measure the starting point for two weeks
Record how many times it happens, how long each takes and the error or follow-up rate. This is your baseline.
Set one target and one guardrail
For example: cut reply time on website enquiries from hours to minutes, while keeping wrong answers below an agreed level checked by a person.
Check the data the AI will touch
List any personal data involved and how the tool stores it. The PDPA still applies when an AI tool processes customer details.
Run a small pilot, then decide
Four to six weeks on one team or channel is enough. Compare against the baseline and decide to scale, change or stop.
Our guide to what to expect from an AI consultant covers how to scope a pilot with an outside partner.
Do it yourself or get help?
If your first AI project is a common one, such as answering website questions or moving enquiry data between apps, you do not need a programme to start. A programme helps most when you are unsure which task to pick or want a guided POC with partners.
IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience. Our AI Website Assistant (S$790) answers customer questions from your own content, and Workflow Automation (S$390) connects forms, email, sheets and accounting apps so routine data entry stops. Both are fixed-price, so you can measure the result against your baseline.
Frequently asked questions
It is the second phase of the UOB FinLab AI Ready Programme, announced by UOB on 28 September 2026 and developed in partnership with IMDA. It adds enhanced financing support, AI prototyping workshops and a peer-led community to the existing masterclasses, workshops and guided proof-of-concept phase for SMEs in Singapore.
Partly. UOB FinLab's FAQ says masterclasses and workshops are complimentary for selected SMEs. Additional support or proof-of-concept implementation may involve subsidised costs or special packages, which are shared during the sessions. Financing support is a bank product with its own terms, so check those with UOB.
UOB FinLab's programme page describes the programme as designed for SMEs in Singapore keen to adopt AI and does not state that you must bank with UOB. Places are selective, so register your interest on the FinLab page and confirm any conditions, especially for financing, directly with UOB.
No. It is a bank-led programme developed with IMDA. Government co-funding for projects runs through schemes such as Enterprise Singapore's EDGE Grant, and IMDA offers its own support, including free CTO-as-a-Service consultancy and curated AI tools on the SMEs Go Digital platform.
As of October 2026, registration for the 28 September Changemakers Summit is closed, and the UOB FinLab AI Ready Programme page invites SMEs to submit their interest for the 2027 programme. Prepare a short description of one task you want AI to help with, so you can make the most of any workshop place.