Singapore firms expect AI returns to rise as agent oversight lags

Singapore businesses expect their returns from artificial intelligence to rise sharply over the next two years, although only 2% consider themselves fully prepared to govern and expand the use of AI agents.

The SAP Value of AI Report 2026, produced with Oxford Economics, surveyed 2,600 business leaders across 13 countries, including 200 in Singapore. Respondents expect their total return on AI investment to reach 19% this year, up from 16% last year, before increasing to 36% within two years. The report equates these estimates to US$3.5 million this year and US$10.3 million in two years.

Expected returns from agentic AI, referring to AI systems that can take actions across business workflows, could reach US$9.8 million over the next two years. This is almost double the US$4.9 million estimated in the previous year’s study.

Adoption is moving faster than readiness

Confidence in the technology is high across local enterprises. Indeed, 89% of Singapore respondents believe agentic AI has moderate to very high potential to transform their organisations, but only 2% consider their businesses fully prepared to use it.

AI currently supports 27% of tasks in the average Singapore business, according to the study. Companies expect that share to reach 47% within two years, increasing the need for clear responsibility, employee training and operational controls. However, fewer than half of the companies surveyed, at 45%, have appointed a dedicated leader responsible for AI adoption. Only 32% have established performance targets for leaders overseeing AI, while 37% provide training on its capabilities and risks. Workforce development is also struggling to keep pace. Nearly eight in ten respondents, at 79%, are not convinced that their company’s training efforts are keeping up with the development of AI tools.

Eileen Chua, managing director of SAP Singapore, linked the expected returns to companies’ ability to connect AI with their data, processes and governance. “Singapore businesses are moving from AI experimentation to AI execution, and the expected returns from agentic AI show just how much confidence there is in the technology. But value will not come from AI adoption alone. It will come from connecting AI to business data, processes and governance, so organisations can move faster while still acting with control and confidence.”

Data problems are already disrupting work

The proportion of Singapore businesses that consider their data ready for AI fell from 62% in 2025 to 55% in 2026. At the same time, 82% reported problems with incomplete data. These weaknesses are already affecting operations. The study found that 81% of businesses had experienced rework, delays or backlogs because of poor-quality AI outputs.

Companies also reported limited readiness to manage the risks associated with AI. Only 12% considered their workforce skills fully prepared for AI governance, while 10% said their processes and internal frameworks were ready. These gaps could become more serious as AI agents are given access to more data and greater responsibility across business systems.

Controls over AI agents remain uneven

More than a quarter of Singapore companies, at 27%, do not require human review or approval for workflows handled by AI agents. Another 30% lack permission and access controls that determine what those agents can reach.

Only 40% maintain a central record of the AI agents operating within their business. Meanwhile, 66% either believe they are deploying agents faster than they can govern them or are unsure whether this is happening.

Chua described visibility and oversight as essential once AI systems begin acting across workflows. “Agentic AI raises the stakes for enterprise readiness. When AI systems can act across workflows, businesses need clear visibility into where agents are operating, what data they can access, and where human oversight is required. Without that foundation, organisations risk creating more activity without achieving better outcomes.”

The report links future AI returns to how effectively companies connect the technology with reliable data, established processes and employees who understand how to use it responsibly.