Objective

The AI revolution is creating unprecedented opportunities, but also new risks of exclusion. DBS Foundation is bringing together partners across Asia to ensure vulnerable communities are not left behind, helping them access future-ready livelihoods, strengthen financial confidence, and navigate emerging digital threats with resilience and security.

• Indonesia: Youth employability gap, worsened by tech/AI disruption
  •  ~7.2M (16%) of youth are unemployed, with “massive layoffs since Jan–May 2025 – youth 4x more likely to be jobless than adults 
  • AI/digitalisation raises the bar for entry-level jobs; without targeted upskilling, vulnerable youth are pushed into informal jobs that are risky, and higher financial stress.
• Taiwan: Disadvantaged families lack personalised guidance
  • 270K (3%) of households in Taiwan are financially vulnerable
  • Families often lack diagnostic tools to translate financial knowledge into action
• Singapore: Scam risk is persistent; seniors suffer highest loss severity
  • Average S$1B scam losses every year
  • Amplified by AI-enabled impersonation and deception, seniors face the most lost (average $37K per victim) – need for education + safeguards to empower protection

To help the underserved thrive in the Age of AI, DBS Foundation committed SGD8.6M launched 3 programmes on skills, capabilities & protection with an aim to reach 650K beneficiaries in Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore by 2028 à equipping ID youth with AI skills for work, enabling families in TW with award-winning AI-powered financial planning platform, & empowering SG seniors with AI literacy against AI scams.

Strategy

DBS Foundation recognises that financial resilience in the age of AI requires more than financial literacy alone. As AI increasingly shapes livelihoods, access to information and financial decision-making, vulnerable communities must be equipped not only with the skills to participate in an AI-enabled world, but also the ability to do so safely and confidently. While the AI revolution is creating unprecedented opportunities to improve productivity, expand access to employment and personalise support, it also introduces new risks of exclusion, misinformation, scams and financial harm for those unable to keep pace.

At the same time, AI presents powerful opportunities to improve access to employment and financial services, deliver more personalised support, and strengthen protection against emerging digital threats. Different communities face different vulnerabilities, necessitating targeted and differentiated interventions to ensure no one is left behind in an increasingly AI-driven world.

To address this challenge, DBS Foundation developed a holistic strategy centred on 3 interconnected levers of financial resilience: Skills, Capability and Protection.

1. Empower with AI Skills for Work
Target Segment: Underprivileged youth and jobseekers

As AI transforms the workplace, entry-level opportunities increasingly require digital and AI competencies. DBS Foundation focused on equipping vulnerable youth with the skills needed to participate in the future economy by:

• Building AI, digital and employability skills
• Strengthening pathways into quality jobs and growth industries
• Supporting social mobility through access to technology-enabled careers

2. Enable AI-powered Financial Consultation
Target Segment: Vulnerable families

While access to information has improved, many vulnerable families continue to struggle with translating financial knowledge into action. DBS Foundation sought to bridge this gap by:

• Leveraging AI to personalise financial guidance and planning
• Equipping frontline professionals with stronger financial consultancy capabilities
• Improving decision-making and long-term financial resilience

3. Protect Against AI-driven Scams
Target Segment: Seniors

As digital adoption accelerates, seniors face increasing exposure to online fraud and AI-enabled scams. DBS Foundation responded by:

• Building AI awareness and digital confidence
• Strengthening scam detection and prevention behaviours
• Equipping seniors to participate safely in an increasingly digital world

Bringing the Strategy to Life

Each programme was intentionally designed to address a specific resilience gap, while collectively contributing to building  resilience of these communities

Key elements of DBS Foundation's execution strategy included:

• Segment-led programme design, recognising that youth, families and seniors face distinct AI-related challenges.
• Partnerships with key organisations, leveraging deep domain expertise, community reach and local market knowledge.
• Responsible use of AI as an enabler, harnessing technology to enhance employability, improve financial decision-making and strengthen protection against emerging risks.
• Multi-year commitments, enabling programmes to test, refine and scale interventions over time.
• Cross-sector collaboration, bringing together governments, community partners, industry stakeholders and DBS volunteers to drive sustainable impact.

By simultaneously strengthening participation, capability and protection, DBS Foundation has developed an integrated approach to financial resilience that equips vulnerable communities not only to cope with the age of AI, but to benefit from its opportunities. This moves beyond addressing symptoms in isolation and instead tackles the structural barriers that contribute to financial vulnerability across different life stages.

Results

Since June 2026, our three programmes have collectively supported over 246,000 beneficiaries across Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore, empowering them to participate more confidently in an AI-driven world, and are well on track to meettheir overall targets by 2028.

Key outcomes include:

• Indonesia: 62,000 underserved youth reached through DBS Coding Camp, equipping them with coding, AI and employability skills. Among participants selected for advanced training, 75% graduated with improved access to employment opportunities.
• Taiwan: 110,000 vulnerable individuals and families supported through AI-enabled financial planning and financial consultancy services, with 98% reporting positive satisfaction outcomes.
• Sinagpore: 74,000 individuals reached through digital literacy, GenAI awareness and anti-scam initiatives, with 99% reporting improvements in digital knowledge and confidence.

Behind every number is a story of transformation:

• Indonesia: Muhamad Putera Alfadri, 18 year-old vocational school graduate from a low-income background, progressed from temporary work into a professional role as a Full-Stack Developer after completing DBS Foundation Coding Camp, demonstrating how AI and digital skills can unlock new pathways to economic mobility.

• Taiwan: Charlie, a young worker, who had lived for years under the burden of unresolved family debt, gained the confidence and knowledge to take control of his financial future. Through personalised support, he moved from fear and uncertainty towards informed financial decision-making.
• Singapore: Madam Lim Siew Gin, 70 year old retiree, learned how to identify AI-generated deepfakes and protect herself against increasingly sophisticated scams, enabling her to navigate the digital world with greater confidence and safety.

Together, these stories demonstrate how DBS Foundation is harnessing AI not only to address emerging risks, but to expand opportunities, strengthen resilience and create a more inclusive future for those who need it most.

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