From Design to AI: My Unexpected Internship Journey with Grid_Synergy

by Charukash

ELLA and SAFEGEN showcase at Pasir Laba Camp — Charukash, Parvin, Quah, and Philip (from left to right)

When I first joined Grid_Synergy, I came in purely as a graphic design intern, fully focused on visuals, layout, and creative work. If you told me back then that I’d soon be exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI), I’d probably have laughed and said, “Eh, AI not my thing lerh.” But life really has its own way of surprising you.

Recently, I had the chance to be part of an event at Pasir Laba Camp for Army Safety Day, and that experience turned out to be a major turning point in my personal and professional journey. What started off as a simple chance to support the team became something much more impactful and unforgettable.

To be honest, my background in AI was basically zero. Other than casually using ChatGPT once in a while, I had no idea how AI actually worked. In fact, I used to think AI was still quite limited and not something I could ever fully understand or work with. But everything changed when I got hands-on experience with two incredible chatbots developed by Grid_Synergy—ELLA and SAFEGEN.

ELLA is a career assistant chatbot that can answer all sorts of questions about your job, career direction, or upskilling options. It’s like having a mentor you can access anytime, no matter what time of day or night. Then there’s SAFEGEN, a powerful tool that handles every army safety question you can throw at it. From procedures to safety protocols, it gives you reliable, accurate information in seconds, with no need to flip through pages of manuals. Watching them in action made me go, “Wah, this is next level sia.” These aren’t just gimmicks—they’re real, working tools that make learning fast, easy, and effective. It made me realise how much more efficient we can be when we use AI the right way.

At the event, I didn’t just stand by and observe—I got involved. I helped explain the bots to visitors and saw how impressed they were by how quickly the bots could answer questions. I also had the rare opportunity to meet several commanders in person, which was a bit intimidating but also very exciting. On top of that, I got to explore parts of the army camp. For someone who hasn’t enlisted yet, it was quite an eye-opening experience. I got a real sense of the discipline, structure, and importance of safety in army life, and it gave me an appreciation for the level of organisation that goes into ensuring the well-being of everyone involved.

What really impressed me was how Grid_Synergy isn’t just following trends—they’re setting them. The company is fearless in its mission to revolutionise how people learn, blending creativity with cutting-edge technology. I feel incredibly proud to be part of a team that’s working on projects with such real-world impact, and I know that what we’re doing will help shape the future of learning and safety in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago.

Stepping into the world of AI was a leap of faith for me. But now, I’m so glad I took that first step. I’ve learned so much—not just technical skills, but also how to adapt, stay curious, and challenge myself. I’ve gained new confidence and a broader perspective on what’s possible when you remain open to learning and change.

So if you're ever offered a chance to try something new, don’t shy away. Just go for it lah—you might end up discovering a whole new side of yourself that you never knew existed.