EnterpriseSG pushes AI uptake with new retail digital plan

It also added incubation programme for SMEs.

Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) updated its digital plan to help guide 2,000 retail SMEs through digital transformation, it said at an industry event in Singapore on 26 May.

Alongside its new digital plan, EnterpriseSG also announced thel launch of two initiatives to support retailers’ adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and business growth and a new incubation programme for local brands.

The announcements were made at the Retail Reimagined – From Now to Next event and include a refreshed Retail Industry Digital Plan (IDP), developed with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and the Retail Accelerator at L^IFE, operated by Innovate360.

It cited government data showing that more than 75% of retail SMEs have adopted basic digital solutions, whilst 45% have taken up intermediate tools, with adoption of advanced technologies remaining limited.

The agency said the update comes amid rising costs, labour shortages, and stronger e-commerce competition, alongside faster development of AI in retail technologies.

The refreshed IDP introduces a stronger focus on AI adoption across retail operations and restructures solutions by business function rather than digital maturity stage.

EnterpriseSG and IMDA said the approach is intended to help retailers identify tools based on operational needs across front-of-house, back-of-house, and corporate functions.

The plan also expands AI-enabled tools, including in-store AI concierge systems, chatbots for customer engagement, AI-driven demand forecasting, and generative AI applications for marketing content creation and staff training.

The Retail Accelerator at L^IFE is a two-year programme that will support 16 local retail brands in testing and scaling their concepts.

The programme is based at *SCAPE and is supported by EnterpriseSG in partnership with the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) and Innovate360.

Participants will receive mentorship, training workshops, and access to shared facilities, including a livestreaming studio and subsidised retail space for product testing and customer engagement. Brands in the programme include KOYOYU Studio and NestBloom.

EnterpriseSG said the initiatives are designed to help retailers manage cost pressures, improve productivity, and strengthen adoption of digital and AI tools across operations.