What’s new
September 2026
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 24 Sep | Updated SHIP-HATS Service Desk with new support groups The SHIP-HATS Service Desk at go.gov.sg/shiphats-service-desk has been updated with a new support page. The support page now has two groups: SHIP-HATS for platform-related requests, and AI Coding Tools for AI coding assistant support. See Contact us for details. |
August 2026
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 14 Aug | Agent Prime Directives (APD) now available for GovTech users APD is a GovTech-curated registry of versioned packages — containing skills, agents, plugins, and prompts — that equip AI coding assistants to follow proven, domain-specific practices. See Agent Prime Directives to get started. |
| 14 Aug | AI coding tools pricing update GitHub Copilot pricing go-live has been delayed to October 2026 — you can continue using it at no cost until then. Claude Code and Codex will be available to WOG users as follows: Claude Code in September 2026, and Codex in FYQ3 2026 (October–December 2026). Indicative pricing remains unchanged. Confirmed dates and a briefing session will be shared in the next update. |
| 07 Aug | Added prerequisites to classify code and data, and obtain Agency CIO approval for the Classification before selecting an eligible AI coding tool. For details, see Security and sensitivity classification. |
July 2026
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 21 Jul | Claude Code onboarding updated for Windows SEED devices GovTech users can now use Claude Code on Windows SEED devices through WSL2 with Ubuntu. Updated onboarding instructions are available for GovTech ARs, while GovTech public officers should continue to follow the onboarding instructions on the Equip portal. |
| 06 Jul | New guide: Update Claude Code models Team Leads can now add newly available models to their existing premium projects. See Update Claude Code models. |
| 03 Jul | New Claude Code models available for GovTech users GovTech users can now use bedrock.claude-sonnet-5 and bedrock.claude-opus-4-8 models for code and data classified as Restricted and Sensitive Normal and below. See Provision Claude Code for ARs (GovTech ARs only). |
| 02 Jul | Early notice: AI coding tools pricing starting around September 2026 GitHub Copilot and Claude Code will transition from no-cost to paid, with rates based on standard market API pricing from model providers. Based on pilot data, average consumption was USD 200–350 per developer per month. Teams should begin planning budgets. The exact start date and a briefing session will be confirmed in a later update. Check your current usage under Settings in the respective tool. |
| 02 Jul | OpenAI Codex limited trial paused until further notice. Use GitHub Copilot or Claude Code (GovTech users only) instead. |
| 01 Jul | GitLab Duo, Windsurf Editor, and Windsurf Plugin deprecated, effective 01 July 2026 Existing users get a grace period without support: Windsurf Editor and Windsurf Plugin until 15 Jul 2026; GitLab Duo until 28 Jul 2026. Switch to GitHub Copilot, Cursor, or Claude Code. All guardrails remain in effect during the grace period. OpenAI Codex trial has been paused. |
June 2026
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 19 Jun | MCP support now available for Claude Code (GovTech users only). Whitelisted MCPs include SHIP-HATS Jira, Confluence, and GitLab, with more coming soon. Register at go.gov.sg/mcp-gateway. Details in #claude-code-support on Slack. |
| 15 Jun | Claude Code pricing for GovTech ARs now active. Charging starts immediately upon onboarding, based on actual usage at model list price. Team Leads and ARs can use the PlatformAI Usage dashboard to monitor usage and charges; Team Leads must add ARs to the premium project to view usage details. See Pricing and billing and the AR onboarding guide. |
| 09 Jun | Updated the Claude Code AR onboarding guide: Team Leads must now provide approval details in the project description when creating a Premium Project. Also documents two API key generation methods (manual and Project Key) and expected approval timelines. |
| 05 Jun | Claude Code now available for GovTech Augmented Resources (ARs). See the end-to-end provisioning workflow for Team Leads and ARs. |
May 2026
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 21 May | Added code and sensitivity classification guidance to the AI coding tools page for easier reference and tool selection. |
| 20 May | Claude Code best practices added: new page covering Anthropic-recommended best practices for using Claude Code in collaborative and enterprise environments. |
| 11 May | OpenAI Codex now available to GovTech public officers on a limited trial basis. Augmented resources and users from other agencies are not yet eligible. See OpenAI Codex for sign-up/onboarding and Code and sensitivity classification for supported classifications. |
| 08 May | GitHub Copilot agentic access now available to public officers across Whole-of-Government (WOG). GovTech augmented resources keep agentic access; augmented resources in other agencies get non-agentic access. See GitHub Copilot for eligibility and onboarding. |
April 2026
Claude Code is now available for GovTech officers while ARs can express their interest. See the Claude Code page for the onboarding flow.
Clarified governance and usage guidance for AI coding tools, especially for CII/SII systems, and improved overall usability of documentation. For details, see Additional approvals.
A training session on Claude Code — Zero to Hero — was conducted on 24 Apr 2026. Watch the recording or download the slides. For other training events, see Learning Events page.
March 2026
New coding tools
Cursor (Cursor) was rolled out to GovTech officers on a trial basis.
Claude Code (Claude Code will be:
- Available only to GovTech officers from mid-April 2026
- Available to WOG users in June 2026
Upcoming changes
The following tools will be deprecated in June 2026:
| Tool | Capability | Status |
|---|---|---|
| GitLab Duo | Non-agentic | Deprecating on 01 July 2026 |
| Windsurf Editor | Agentic | Deprecating on 01 July 2026 |
| Windsurf Plugin (formerly Codeium) | Non-agentic | Deprecating on 01 July 2026 |
November 2025
Official Code Classification Reference
We’ve updated our docs to reference the SWE Handbook’s Code Classification Rubric, ensuring users follow the correct, centrally maintained classification framework.
October 2025
Phased rollout of agentic AI coding assistants
Agentic AI coding assistants are being rolled out in phases to GovTech staff, including staff seconded to other agencies and GovTech’s augmented resources.
This phased approach ensures safe, controlled adoption while gathering user feedback and maintaining compliance with code classification and organisational policies.
For more details on rollout strategy, guardrails imposed and action required from users, see the following resources and guidance:
Key resources and guidance
| Resource | Purpose / Details |
|---|---|
| Agentic AI coding assistants rollout strategy | Explains rollout phases, timelines and priority groups. |
| Agentic vs non-agentic AI tools | Clarifies the types of AI tools and approved usage. |
| Watch the recording Access the briefing slides |
Before signing up for Agentic AI tools, you must watch the training recording. The recording helps you understand: - How agentic capabilities function and what they can do on your behalf? - Associated risks and accountability expectations. - Organisational guardrails and best practices for safe use. |
| Sign up for agentic AI coding assistants (without MCP) | Explains the steps to sign up for agentic AI (without MCP). Applicable only to GovTech officers. |
| Agentic AI coding assistant – guardrail controls | Details security and operational controls applied to agentic tools. |
| - User responsibilities and best practices | Updated guidance for safe and responsible AI usage: • Role-specific guidance for project leads and end users. • New checklist for agentic AI usage. • Action required: Users must follow updated practices, apply checklists, and ensure AI-generated code complies with classification and project policies. |
Deprecation of Codeium Enterprise (self-hosted)
Codeium Enterprise (self-hosted) is planned for deprecation, tentatively by end of October 2025.
May 2025
- In line with our planned timeline, we have officially concluded the AI Assistant Pilot Programme, which was available exclusively to GovTech officers until May 2025.
- As Codeium SaaS has been rebranded to Windsurf Plugin, all references to Codeium SaaS in this documentation have been updated to Windsurf Plugin. For more information, refer to our Windsurf Plugin (formerly Codeium) page.
March 2025
- Published the GitLab Duo Pigeonhole questions and answers
February 2025
- We have a new pilot, AI Assistant Pilot Programme (only for GovTech officers), for GovTech officers interested in other AI coding assistants.
- Included the device compatibility details for AI coding assistants by code and sensitivity classification.
- Updated the Overview more details about Requirements for AI tool clearance and Evaluation process
- Visit our Learning events page to know about the upcoming sessions on AI coding assistants and be part of this learning journey with us!
- Published the GitLab Duo Demo recording. Visit Learning events to access other resources shared during this session.
January 2025
Codeium: We now offer both Codeium SaaS and Codeium Enterprise (self-hosted).
GitLab Duo: Sign up for GitLab Duo today and boost your coding experience with AI. When provisioned, refer to our documentation to install it on your preferred IDE.
Expanded Access for vendors: Vendors can now sign up directly for the AI Coding Assistants programme. Read our Prerequisites for participation.
Improved sign-up instructions: The sign-up instructions has been simplified with clear guidance and essential data classification details to help you choose the right AI coding assistant. Log in with your TechPass to view this document.
Best practices: Published a comprehensive User responsibilities and best practices.
December 2024
- Published Roadmap for AI coding assistants.
September 2024
Codeium: Now supported by the AI Coding Assistant programme. We’ve added detailed instructions for installing Codeium in your preferred IDE. [Learn more]
Switch between AI Coding Assistants: Instructions are available for switching between different AI coding assistants, such as GitHub Copilot and Codeium, in your IDE.
