Dell Technologies‘ Modern Enterprise Readiness Study 2026 found that the majority (79%) of organisations in Singapore will not move forward without proven business outcomes and risk management plans.
“Singapore businesses aren’t questioning AI’s potential anymore; they’re drawing a hard line on ROI and risk,” said Andy Sim, vice president and managing director, Singapore, Dell Technologies. “Ambition is outpacing readiness, and shiny AI software can’t overcome legacy infrastructure, data security gaps, or rising energy constraints. Until companies resolve these behind-the-scenes bottlenecks, most AI projects will stay stuck in pilot mode.”
AI ambition and readiness
The report found that 58% of Singaporean organisations admit they can’t keep up with the pace of change. Additionally, 60% lack AI, data, and security roadmaps.
Moreover, macroeconomic pressures lead 93% to say they are being more selective and outcome-driven in their technology choices; 80% say their data and IP are too valuable to put in third-party GenAI tools, and another 80% are most concerned about regulatory compliance.
The majority (82%) cite storage performance and data access as primary technical challenges, and 76% say their data centres are not yet ready for demanding AI workloads.
The report also found employees using personal devices and unapproved tools, highlighting the prevalence of Shadow AI, while legacy PCs further limit AI adoption.
Most (93%) expect AI PCs to play a central role in workplace strategy.
Technology partnerships are becoming more strategic, with 83% of APJC organisations replacing transactional vendors with partners that co-create long-term roadmaps. Moreover, 95% expect security to be embedded in every technology proposal.
