Singapore’s Institute of Digital Government: How Its AI Training Plan Works

Singapore’s Institute of Digital Government (IDG) is built around a practical question: can public officers use digital tools and AI safely to improve the work they already do? Announced during the March 2026 budget debate and launched on 18 September, the institute aims to equip more than 150,000 officers with digital, data and AI capabilities by the end of 2028.293

A common foundation for a large workforce

IDG is a collaboration between the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and the Civil Service College. To reach officers across the public service, its training includes standardised online learning and workshops, alongside annual mandatory modules on cybersecurity, data protection and AI literacy.31 That shared foundation is intended to make responsible technology use a starting point, rather than something reserved for technical specialists.29

The training also begins with product thinking: understanding users’ needs and defining the problem before choosing a technological solution. This matters because a faster AI-assisted process is not necessarily a better public service if it addresses the wrong need.629

Different pathways for different levels of AI experience

IDG’s AI pathways let officers progress according to what they are ready to do:

• Aware 101 introduces AI and its responsible use at work.1214
• Apply 201 focuses on using AI for everyday tasks.14
• Build 301 is for officers who want to create reusable solutions to work problems.14

The stated ambition is for all public officers to reach the Apply 201 level by the end of 2028, so the goal extends beyond introductory awareness to using technology effectively at work.6 That remains an ambition, not evidence that every officer has already achieved proficiency.

Practice at work—and support from leaders

Agency-level AI Sprints provide a bridge between lessons and implementation. In these one-day workshops, non-technical officers frame workplace problems, assess whether AI can help and rapidly prototype potential solutions using enterprise AI capabilities.30

IDG also says it works with leaders, teams and agencies, not only individual learners. Its leadership programme focuses on the technological understanding needed to make decisions, govern systems and support change across an agency.3235

What success would look like

The government’s stated aim is for officers to work more effectively in their domain tasks and deliver better services to citizens.3 Training participation alone cannot establish that outcome. The meaningful test is whether officers can use AI safely and appropriately on real problems while retaining the human judgment their work requires. The 2028 figure is a target; the sources provided do not establish that it has been met.329