SMALL and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can now gain hands-on experience with generative artificial intelligence (AI) through a new sandbox.

Launched by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) on Wednesday (Feb 7), the sandbox aims to help SMEs capture opportunities in generative AI, such as improving productivity and customer experiences.

It builds on ongoing collaboration efforts between the public and private sectors to strengthen AI development and the AI ecosystem in Singapore, said the agencies.

About 300 SMEs across sectors including retail, food and beverage (F&B), education, and hospitality are expected to benefit from the sandbox. They will be able to tap generative AI solutions in two categories: marketing and sales, and customer engagement.

For marketing and sales, SMEs can adopt solutions to generate marketing content – such as customised e-mails and social media posts – tailored to individual campaign strategies. This will shorten the overall marketing preparation process.

For customer engagement, SMEs can use generative AI-powered chatbots to better engage customers at scale.

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Such chatbots let customers search easily for information, browse personalised recommendations or make reservations. SMEs can free up manpower and optimise operational efficiency, while customers’ experiences are improved.

Thirteen generative AI solutions identified by EnterpriseSG and IMDA will be added progressively to the sandbox by end-February. These solutions were jointly curated with industry and technical experts from institutes of higher learning, based on their ease of use and deployment.

All local SMEs can apply to participate in the sandbox. Successful applicants will get grant support from IMDA for a three-month trial of one generative AI solution of their choice.

Once the sandbox has concluded, the two agencies will review feedback from SMEs to evaluate the suitability of these solutions. They will also explore the feasibility of further scaling the adoption of generative AI applications by local businesses.

Applications to the sandbox will close by end-May or once the maximum capacity has been reached.