IMDA Ramps Up AI Push with S$48M Programme as Short-Form Platforms Dominate
Source: Singapore Business Review
IMDA has launched a S$48 million Digital Content and Capability Development programme to help Singapore's media sector adopt AI tools and adapt to the shift toward short-form video platforms, with applications opening today.
Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has launched the Digital Content and Capability Development (DCCD) programme — a S$48 million initiative aimed at helping media companies adapt to AI-driven production workflows and the dominance of short-form video platforms. Announced by Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How, the programme opens for applications today with calls for proposals running bi-annually.
The DCCD programme has two pillars: Digital Content Development, which supports creating and distributing content across digital and social platforms, and Capability Development, which focuses on production innovation including AI-generated content and new storytelling formats. The first accreditation exercise has already qualified 117 companies. IMDA said the programme will explicitly support adoption of AI tools in production workflows, allowing media professionals to shift focus toward creative direction, storytelling, and development. The first CFP closes on 31 July.
The programme sits alongside the government's broader National AI Impact Programme (NAIIP), which aims to train 100,000 non-tech professionals to become AI-bilingual over three years. A curated media course — "Generative Artificial Intelligence-Enhanced Social Media Content Creation" by Singapore Management University — is already available, with SkillsFuture Credits and NTUC's UTAP programme covering costs. This comes as 87 percent of people aged 15 and above in Singapore now access platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube weekly, driving a structural shift in media consumption.
Why it matters for Singapore: Singapore's media sector is at an inflection point — AI tools are slashing production costs while short-form platforms are reshaping distribution entirely. The S$48 million DCCD programme is a targeted bet that Singapore's media professionals can lead rather than follow this transition. Combined with the NAIIP's 100,000-person AI training target, the government is building a pipeline of AI-literate creative talent that could transform Singapore's media ecosystem. The 31 July deadline for the first CFP makes this immediately actionable for accredited media firms.