Synagie workers, PMEs to get AI skills boost under SISEU tie-up

At a glance

• Synagie is working with SISEU to strengthen AI readiness among its workers, including PMEs.
• The company recently became unionised and signed its first Collective Agreement with SISEU, an NTUC-affiliated union, on 20 July 2026.
• It has come on board NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative, whose grant can fund up to 70 per cent of a transformation project.
• The commitments were announced at the launch of Geene 2.0, a new AI commerce platform built by 12 founding partners, including Synagie.

Workers at digital commerce company Synagie, including professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), will receive support to build their AI skills under a partnership between the company and the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees’ Union (SISEU).

The collaboration was announced on 22 July 2026 at the launch of Geene 2.0, the company’s new AI commerce platform, where NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Tan was the guest of honour.

Mr Tan, who is also executive secretary of SISEU, said the aim is for workers to move with the technology rather than be left behind by it.

“It is not AI instead of workers. It is AI that works for workers. Because the future of work is not about replacing people but enabling them to achieve more,” he said.

NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Tan (fourth from left) with representatives from Synagie and SISEU at the signing of the company's first Collective Agreement on 20 July 2026. Photo: [SISEU]

A tripartite approach to transformation

The partnership follows Synagie’s decision to unionise and sign its first Collective Agreement (CA) with SISEU on 20 July 2026.

Mr Tan said the move reflects Singapore’s tripartite approach, in which companies, unions and the Government work together to invest in the workforce while pursuing business transformation at the same time.

“Our partnership with Synagie, marked by the signing of a Collective Agreement, reflects a shared commitment by employers, unions and workers to prepare for the future of work,” he said.

Mr Tan, who witnessed the CA signing, added that strong labour-management partnerships will matter more as industries adopt new technologies, so that businesses stay competitive while workers are supported and can benefit from new opportunities.

Mr Tan said Singapore’s competitiveness will depend not only on technological innovation, but also on bringing workers along through job redesign, skills development and better career opportunities.

Turning AI plans into training and better wages

Synagie has also come on board NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative, which brings management and workers together to identify business challenges, redesign jobs and build the skills needed for change.

Companies that join are assigned an Industry Training Officer to guide them through the process, and can tap the CTC Grant for up to 70 per cent funding support for their projects. Workers who pick up new skills along the way can have those skills recognised with wage increments.

Mr Tan said that although AI can improve productivity, some smaller firms adopt AI simply because it is the latest thing without first identifying what they are trying to fix.

He pointed to local egg producer N&N Agriculture, which used a CTC project to introduce an AI-enabled automation tool after finding that manual and duplicated work processes were slowing it down.

The company saw higher productivity, faster turnaround times and better operational efficiency.

N&N did not begin with the technology, he said. “It started with a business problem. AI was simply the tool that helped solve it.”

Wider support for workers

Beyond individual companies, NTUC’s AI-Ready SG initiative offers workers AI training through NTUC LearningHub at levels ranging from basic literacy to full proficiency, and job matching support through an AI Career Coach that matches workers’ skills to available roles.

Union members can also use the Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP) to subscribe to premium AI tools at half price, capped at $250 a year, or $500 for members aged 40 and above.

The goal, Mr Tan said, is a future in which AI adoption does not lead to jobless growth.

What the new platform does

Geene 2.0 is designed to help businesses use AI across their commerce operations without losing sight of accuracy and accountability.

Rather than running separate AI tools for different tasks, the platform brings market analysis, business strategy, content creation, sales operations and product verification onto a single system.

It also allows companies to check and keep records of the actions their AI takes, so decisions can be traced and audited.

Synagie, the flagship brand of Hong Kong-listed Synagistics, is one of 12 founding partners behind the platform. The partners span data, AI, media, commerce and blockchain, and include BytePlus and China Mobile International.

The platform is already in commercial use through AGONG Durian, a premium Musang King brand whose fruit is digitally tagged so buyers can verify where it came from.

More than 100 business leaders, partners and guests attended the launch.

NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Tan (right) at the AGONG Durian booth during a walkthrough of the Geene 2.0 showcase on 22 July 2026. Photo: [Synagie]

Want to build your AI skills?

NTUC members can claim half the subscription cost of selected AI tools through UTAP, and pick up AI training at NTUC LearningHub. Find out more about AI-Ready SG or join NTUC as a member to start tapping on these benefits.

Companies keen to explore a Company Training Committee project can get started by contacting their union or emailing trainandtransform@ntuc.org.sg.