Making international films, growing beyond e-commerce, scaling operations: How AI is helping SMEs

Artificial intelligence is empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to expand their reach and capabilities beyond traditional e-commerce, as demonstrated by the winners of the inaugural SME AI Impact Awards 2026. By leveraging AI, these businesses can tackle tasks that once required substantial budgets, specialized expertise, or significant manual labor, thereby unlocking new growth opportunities.

For instance, Oceanus Media Global (OMG), a Singapore-based media company, utilizes AI to create films with overseas partners from its local studios through virtual production and hybrid filmmaking techniques. By eliminating the need for travel, permits, and set-building, OMG has managed to triple the number of multi-location projects it handles each year, with up to 12 projects in the pipeline for the next two years.

This approach has enabled OMG to co-produce films with overseas partners, such as a psychological thriller with a South Korean company and a movie with an Australian firm, while maintaining ownership of the digital assets and co-owning the intellectual property of the films.

The SME Innovation Excellence Award, presented to OMG, recognizes firms that have developed their own AI solutions, while the SME Adoption Excellence Award honors those deploying customized off-the-shelf products. According to Singapore Business Federation (SBF) CEO Kok Ping Soon, the real impact of AI lies not only in increased productivity but also in the capabilities SMEs gain that previously necessitated larger teams and resources.

Founded as a media technology company in 2020, OMG transitioned towards original content and hybrid filmmaking from 2024. Inspired by Hollywood productions like "The Mandalorian" and "Oblivion," OMG's tech stack now mirrors that of larger studios, albeit with a smaller budget. AI streamlines OMG's workflow, covering script breakdowns, scheduling, storyboarding, digital environment creation, and automating post-production tasks.

As a result, production costs have dropped by up to 70%, from approximately $5 million to under $1.5 million, with most travel, permit, and location expenses eliminated. Production timelines have also been significantly reduced, from over three months to three weeks or less for a 10-location shoot.

Similarly, IYLA Collective, a home-grown beauty business distributing four brands of products for families in Singapore, has benefited from AI tools in various aspects of its operations. Founder Lim Yi Ying and her small team initially spent about 60 hours monthly on content creation, email campaigns, and sales reports. By implementing AI tools in early 2025, Lim was able to save over $14,000 annually in labor costs and generate an estimated $1,000 to $3,000 in additional revenue monthly through automated emails.

This newfound time has allowed IYLA to focus on growth, such as expanding into physical retail, partnering with stores like TANGS, Mothercare, and Motherswork, and launching a customer app with Claude Code, which would have cost at least $20,000 through an agency.