Well-known “pick-and-shovel” hardware providers of AI infrastructure such as NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) need no introduction.
However, effective AI adoption enables another category of enterprises to bring their traditional offerings to a whole new level and raises productivity with unprecedented efficiencies.
These newfound operational advantages set them apart from their competitors.
Notably, they are mostly mature, traditionally non-AI-related companies that often get overlooked amid the intense fixation on AI-infrastructural names.
From “Hardware Enablers” to “Applied Adopters”
From local companies such as AEM Holdings (SGX: AWX) and UMS Integration (SGX: 558), to global memory giants such as Micron (NASDAQ: MU), SK Hynix (KRX: 000660), and Samsung (KRX: 005930), these hardware enablers have benefited from the rising AI infrastructural buildout.
However, the sustainability of their growth remains questionable.
Consider this: What if the chip shortage for AI-related semiconductors such as memory modules turns into a glut?
Haven’t we seen this movie before?
During the height of COVID-19, consumers stuck at home drove massive demand for laptops and smartphones, only to see the demand plunge as the economy slowed.
In this scenario, the AI hardware enablers will be the hardest hit, having borne the burden of building costly AI infrastructure. Meanwhile, the applied adopters will be comparatively shielded from the impact.
Still, effective AI adoption is more than just slapping an AI label on your business.
We check out some names that epitomise such effective adoption.
OCBC Bank (SGX: O39) – Workflow Acceleration and Virtual Advisors
For the first quarter of 2026 (1Q2026), OCBC’s total income grew 5% to S$3.83 billion year on year (YoY), with its net profit rising 5% to S$1.97 billion, led by the wealth management business that grew its income 11% to S$1.48 billion.
Crucially, both customer-facing and back-end processes of OCBC are benefiting from AI adoption:
- OCBC’s relationship managers are using AI tools such as agents that draft time-consuming source-of-wealth reports to free up time for client engagements.
- The AI-powered OCBC WoW app, which features two AI avatars and is being trialled, is expected to help the bank achieve its aim to double its wealth management business by 2029.
- With the Whisper generative AI function, customer interactions with OCBC’s contact centre are being transcribed and summarised.
- At the back office, generative AI functions such as Document AI summarises bulky documents, Wingman writes code for developers and Buddy records meeting minutes just like a secretary.
OCBC is using AI to automate complex, manual tasks to facilitate the delivery of traditional banking services.
DBS Group (SGX: D05) – Predictive Intelligence and Risk Management
DBS’s AI investments have laid the foundation for its future growth.
To ensure sustainability in its AI adoption, DBS’s management has introduced a strict governance framework known as PURE, an acronym for Purposeful, Unsurprising, Respectful, and Explainable.
Guided by the framework, DBS embeds its data professionals across various business units to drive continuous improvement and innovation to scale AI reliably.
DBS’s AI adoption is already showing results.
AI-powered predictive risk analysis allows DBS to identify 95% of SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) credit risks three months ahead, saving 80% of the at-risk SME borrowers from default.
Through AI, DBS’s automated, hyper-personalised nudges drove engaged users to invest four times more with the bank.
In 1Q2026, DBS’s total income and net profit both inched up by 1% from a year ago to S$5.95 billion and S$2.93 billion, respectively. The results were led by wealth management and treasury sales.
ComfortDelGro (SGX: C52) – Driving the Future of Industrial Automation
Transport services provider ComfortDelGro reported a 13% increase in revenue to S$5.06 billion in 2025, driving profit after tax and minority interests (PATMI) up 9.4% to S$230.3 million.
ComfortDelGro is introducing autonomous vehicles (AVs) to its ecosystem, and the initiative has moved beyond the initial pilot into real-world deployments.
Starting with the launch of public AV shuttles in Singapore, ComfortDelGro’s AV services now include China and London. Management has the end goal of transitioning 10% of ComfortDelGro’s point-to-point (P2P) fleet to AVs by 2030.
That’s not all.
Beyond AVs, ComfortDelGro has enhanced its core point-to-point technology platform with AI, enabling drivers to be efficiently matched with passengers through dynamic pricing, generating higher productive trips per driver.
Get Smart: New Success Metric in The Age of AI
During a period where local companies still struggle to adopt AI effectively, companies that already show real AI-adoption results gain a structural advantage over those that do not.
And effective adoption is not simply about maximising AI usage – the direction, depth and effectiveness matter just as much.
These adopters bridge quality business models with AI-enabled capabilities to overcome labour constraints and secure superior long-term returns – the kind of businesses that smart investors should pay more attention to.
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Disclosure: Larry L. owns shares of NVIDIA.
