Free premium AI subscriptions for those taking certain SkillsFuture courses from 2nd half of 2026
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Free AI subscriptions will be rolled out in the second half of 2026, with details of the qualifying AI courses and tools to be announced later.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
- The Government will offer free six-month premium AI tool subscriptions for selected SkillsFuture AI courses from the second half of 2026.
- This initiative aims to provide hands-on AI experience and build fluency for Singaporeans aged 25 and above, regardless of income.
- Subscriptions from providers like Google and Microsoft will align with course content, ensuring practical application for participants.
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SINGAPORE – Singaporeans who take up selected SkillsFuture artificial intelligence courses will receive six months of free access to premium AI tools
The subsidy, announced by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng during the debate on the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) budget on March 3, is part of larger plans to help Singaporeans gain confidence to work alongside AI and thrive.
“Like learning a language, developing true fluency in AI comes from consistent use and building confidence through experimentation,” said Dr Tan, adding that the move will make it easier for Singaporeans to have hands-on experience.
Free AI subscriptions will be rolled out in the second half of 2026, with details of the qualifying AI courses and tools to be announced later, he said.
Discussions are under way with providers such as Google, Manus, Microsoft and OpenAI, said Dr Tan, who is also Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology.
Dr Tan said one of Singapore’s priorities is to build an AI-ready workforce. Lack of expertise and low adoption of AI among employees are among some reasons why three in five South-east Asian firms have yet to see meaningful financial gains from AI
“We cannot afford to let this gap persist,” he said, adding that Singapore will take decisive steps.
In announcing the move, Dr Tan agreed with Nominated MP Terence Ho that AI access should be inclusive, regardless of age or income.
Associate Professor Ho had suggested that MOM consider extending access to premium AI tools to a larger group of Singaporeans such as mature workers or lower-income Singaporeans on a longer-term basis.
Replying, Dr Tan said that for a start, the initiative will be open to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above, paired with practical and accessible training for AI at all levels. “Beyond this, we will continue to explore ways to include more mature and lower-income workers in our national AI journey,” he said.
MOM said that the premium subscriptions will be offered to eligible course participants regardless of skill level, so they can immediately practise what is taught in the course. However, the tool that a participant has access to will depend on the registered SkillsFuture AI course.
“This ensures that the AI subscription provided best fits the content and skills taught by the course,” said an MOM spokesman.
Google’s basic monthly AI plan costs $10.98 for access to virtual assistant Gemini, research tool NotebookLM and coding agent Jules. Its highest-tier plan for developers, researchers and power users costs $359.58 a month and comes with US$100 (S$128) of monthly credits for Google Cloud.
General-purpose AI agent Manus AI costs $20 a month for 4,000 credits, which are used to complete tasks like generating images, conducting research or writing code. Its premium tier costs $200 a month, with 40,000 credits.
Microsoft’s basic 365 plan costs $15.49 a month, with its built-in AI assistant Copilot for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. The highest tier costs $28.99 a month, with access to AI agents that can perform more complex tasks, such as generating source-cited research reports.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT costs $11 a month for the basic tier that promises faster responses than the free version of the tool and the ability to upload and analyse files. Its top-tier plan costs $300 a month and includes unlimited messages with the chatbot and image creation, as well as early access to experimental features.
