Organisations in Singapore fall behind AI readiness

Those that are looking to navigate AI hurdles in adopting the technology are placing a strong focus on strategy and readiness.
By: | November 20, 2023
Topics: Digital Transformation | News | Singapore

Despite a growing urgency to adopt AI technologies, organisations in Singapore are lagging behind in their preparedness to fully leverage AI’s potential. This is according to a study by Cisco, which surveyed over 8,000 organisations worldwide.

The AI Readiness Index found that only 13% of organisations in Singapore are fully prepared to deploy and utilise AI-powered technologies. This gap between intent and capabilities is particularly evident when it comes to integrating AI with existing data. Specifically, 84% of respondents acknowledged that data silos across their organisations hinder their ability to effectively utilise AI’s potential.

Despite these challenges, there is a positive trend towards AI adoption in Singapore. A majority of organisations (96%) have either implemented or are developing a robust AI strategy. Additionally, nearly two-thirds (64%) fall into the category of Pacesetters or Chasers, indicating a strong focus on AI preparedness among C-Suite executives and IT leadership.

The growing urgency to adopt AI is further underscored by the fact that 95% of respondents reported an increased need for AI deployment in their organisations over the past six months. IT infrastructure and cybersecurity emerged as the top priority areas for AI deployments.

Liz Centoni, Executive Vice-President and General Manager, Applications and CSO, Cisco, advised, “As organisations rush to deploy AI solutions, they must assess where investments are needed to ensure their infrastructure can best support the demands of AI workloads. Organisations also need to be able to observe with context how AI is being used to ensure ROI, security, and especially responsibility.”

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Echoing Centoni’s remarks, Tay Bee Kheng, President, Cisco ASEAN, emphasised the need for a multifaceted approach to AI readiness. He called for organisations to do more to actively bridge the gaps across the six key business pillars to fully leverage AI’s potential. “From ensuring their IT infrastructure is in a future-ready state to putting in place a change management plan, organisations should prioritise a multifaceted approach to boost their overall AI readiness and stay ahead of the game.”