The inaugural SME AI Impact Awards 2026, organized by the Infocomm Media Development Authority and the Singapore Business Federation, celebrated 30 winners from 290 nominations spanning 21 industries. Media technology firm Oceanus Media Global used virtual production and AI backdrops to cut project costs by up to 70 percent, reducing 10-location schedules from three months to under three weeks. Meanwhile, smaller companies like beauty distributor IYLA Collective integrated commercial AI software to automate routine data analysis and fact-checking. By investing roughly $3,000 annually in tools like Claude, IYLA Collective saved about 60 hours of monthly administrative work to focus on strate…
Key points
Incorporating proprietary artificial intelligence workflows can roughly triple a creative…: Incorporating proprietary artificial intelligence workflows can roughly triple a creative company's multi-location production capacity.
Affordable commercial AI platforms allow smaller firms to automate data integration and e…: Affordable commercial AI platforms allow smaller firms to automate data integration and eliminate tens of hours of administrative overhead each month.
State-backed initiatives in Singapore are actively showcasing how enterprise artificial i…: State-backed initiatives in Singapore are actively showcasing how enterprise artificial intelligence adoption enables local firms to pursue international co-productions.
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Making international films, growing beyond e-commerce, scaling operations: How AI is helping SMEs
By using artificial intelligence, the winners of the inaugural SME AI Impact Awards 2026 can tackle work that once demanded bigger budgets, specialist expertise or hours of manual effort, creating new avenues for growth
The next time you watch an internationally produced film, check the credits. You might spot Oceanus Media Global (OMG), a Singapore company using AI to create films with overseas partners – all from its studios here.
The media company specialises in virtual production and hybrid film-making in which actors perform in front of LED walls displaying digital environments created or enhanced with AI. Filming many “locations” in one studio reduces the need for travel, permits and set-building.
OMG has now roughly tripled the number of multi-location projects it can take on each year, to as many as 12 in the next two years. It has also opened the door to co-production with overseas partners – projects that were once out of reach, says its chief executive officer Nick Tan.
Emerging corporate models show that integrating artificial intelligence requires rigorous human oversight to catch errors and maintain high professional standards. As small businesses adopt automation, organizations are implementing internal mentorship programs and secondary verification teams rather than relying solely on automated outputs. These operational adjustments ensure companies benefit from machine processing power while mitigating critical risks in regulatory compliance and customer operations.
Consumer advocacy organizations are demanding an immediate emergency freeze on next-generation computing systems, arguing the technology poses uncontrollable risks to public welfare. Filed in San Francisco Superior Court, the civil complaint seeks to mandate rigorous safety standards before tech leaders can train or deploy further models. This legal push aims to force industry giants to prove human control while compelling government intervention on emerging digital threats.
A Google researcher working on an independent project sparked controversy after incorrectly announcing an unmapped archaeological find in Mexico. The location had actually been documented in an academic journal the previous year, prompting domain experts to raise alarms over the lack of proper peer review. The episode highlights the growing friction surrounding amateur technologists applying automated scanning systems to specialized academic fields without collaborating with specialists.