Grab and OpenAI AI Training for Southeast Asian Gig Workers
Grab partners with OpenAI to train 30,000 Southeast Asian gig workers in practical AI skills. Learn how this free program boosts business planning and earnings.
TL;DR: Grab and OpenAI are launching a two-year ‘GO Forward with AI’ initiative to train 30,000 Southeast Asian gig workers in practical skills without requiring coding knowledge. This program aims to democratize access to artificial intelligence by providing free workshops and ChatGPT Plus subscriptions, thereby empowering drivers and merchants to enhance their business planning and economic agency.
Key facts
- Grab and OpenAI launched the ‘GO Forward with AI’ program in Singapore on September 23, aiming to train 30,000 Southeast Asian gig workers over two years.
- The initiative builds on a May 2024 collaboration that produced the Driver AI Assistant, which has already reached nearly 500,000 drivers across the region.
- Singapore participants receive free half-day workshops and a complimentary three-month ChatGPT Plus subscription upon completion to support practical skill adoption.
- The curriculum focuses on agentic capabilities in ChatGPT Work, enabling users to create business plans and dashboards via natural language without coding knowledge.
- Post-launch expansion is scheduled for Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines later in 2026, with Malaysia and Vietnam joining in 2027.
- 87% of non-adopting Singaporean gig workers expressed openness to trying AI tools, highlighting a significant gap between interest and current usage rates.
The democratization of artificial intelligence often gets stuck in the realm of high-level research or enterprise software, leaving the people who actually power the gig economy on the sidelines. Grab and OpenAI are attempting to bridge that gap with a new initiative called ‘GO Forward with AI,’ launched in Singapore on September 23 [1][2]. This two-year program aims to equip 30,000 driver-, delivery-, and merchant-partners across Southeast Asia with practical skills they can use immediately [1][2][3]. The core thesis here is not just about technical literacy, but about economic agency: by removing the need for coding knowledge or significant upfront capital, these companies are arguing that AI can lower the barrier to entry for small business ownership.
The program builds on a collaboration between Grab and OpenAI that began in May 2024 [2]. That earlier partnership resulted in the ‘Driver AI Assistant,’ an in-app tool powered by OpenAI’s models designed to help drivers find demand and optimize earnings [1][2]. That assistant has already reached nearly 500,000 drivers [1][2]. The new skilling program takes this integration a step further. Instead of just providing tools within the app, it offers educational workshops that teach participants how to leverage ChatGPT and ChatGPT Work for broader business activities [1][2]. This shift from operational assistance to entrepreneurial empowerment marks a significant expansion in how platform giants view their role in partner development.
In Singapore, the initial rollout includes free half-day workshops where participants can learn to create product designs, gauge market demand, and build simple websites using natural language prompts [3]. A key component of this training involves ‘agentic’ capabilities within ChatGPT Work, which allow users to delegate multi-step tasks such as creating business expansion plans or interactive dashboards [1][2]. To support this learning curve, participants in Singapore receive a complimentary three-month subscription to ChatGPT Plus after completing the workshops [3]. This tangible incentive lowers the friction for adoption, ensuring that those who show up leave with both knowledge and access.
The curriculum is specifically tailored to the realities of gig workers. For example, early participants include individuals like Putri Aziella, a taxi driver in Singapore who plans to transition into full-time baking [3]. She has highlighted how AI tools can help her overcome technical barriers she previously faced when trying to create menus or websites for her side business [3]. While such personal anecdotes are compelling, they also underscore the practical utility of these skills. The goal is not to turn every driver into a software engineer, but to give them the ability to handle administrative and creative tasks that used to require hiring help or learning complex software.
Grab’s chief organizational capability officer Ong Chin Yin stated during the launch event that AI reduces the barrier to entry for starting a business by cutting down on the need for upfront capital expenditure and human manpower [3]. This perspective aligns with a broader industry trend of using automation to handle the ‘boring’ parts of entrepreneurship. For a merchant or driver, spending hours on data analysis or website design is time taken away from service delivery. By automating these processes through natural language interfaces, AI effectively frees up labor for higher-value activities.
The rollout schedule indicates a phased approach across the region. After Singapore, the program will expand to Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines later in 2026 [1][3]. Malaysia and Vietnam are scheduled to join in 2027 [1][3]. This staggered expansion allows Grab and OpenAI to refine the curriculum based on local market conditions and partner feedback. It also reflects the diverse economic landscapes of Southeast Asia, where digital literacy and access to technology vary significantly between urban centers like Singapore and rural areas in neighboring countries.
One of the critical questions this initiative raises is whether providing free training and subscriptions is enough to drive widespread adoption. Data from the launch suggests there is pent-up demand: among Singaporean driver- and delivery-partners who have not yet adopted AI tools, 87% say they are open to trying them [2]. However, only about half of these partners currently use any AI tools at all [2]. This gap between openness and actual usage highlights the importance of guided education. Without the structure provided by Grab’s workshops, many workers might struggle to find relevant applications for these technologies in their daily work.
The involvement of government officials also signals that this is seen as a matter of public policy interest. Minister of State for Manpower and Trade and Industry Foo Cexiang attended the launch event [3]. His presence acknowledges broader concerns about how AI benefits are distributed across the workforce. By targeting gig workers, Grab and OpenAI are positioning themselves as partners in national efforts to upskill the labor force. This could lead to future collaborations with local governments on digital literacy initiatives.
Ultimately, ‘GO Forward with AI’ represents a pragmatic approach to AI integration. It avoids the hype of artificial general intelligence and focuses on tangible tools that can help people make more money or save time. Whether this model scales effectively across different cultures and economic conditions in Southeast Asia remains to be seen. But for now, it offers a clear pathway for 30,000 partners to learn skills that were once the domain of tech-savvy entrepreneurs. The success of this program will depend less on the sophistication of the models and more on its ability to remain accessible and relevant to those using them.
Sources
- Grab and OpenAI bring practical AI skills to Southeast Asia | daily.dev — 2026-09-23
- Grab and OpenAI practical AI training across SEA | Grab SG (www.grab.com) — 2026-09-23
- Free AI training and ChatGPT subscriptions for Grab platform workers, merchants to build business ideas (www.straitstimes.com) — 2026-09-23