Singapore outlined plans, today, to establish itself as a global hub for developing, test-bedding, deploying, and scaling AI solutions, as part of its National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy. This was announced by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Singapore, at the opening session of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona.
AI as the Next Step of Smart Nation
Harnessing AI to transform our economy and improve the lives of citizens is the next key step of Singapore’s Smart Nation journey. Singapore’s National AI strategy is a plan to enable the country to seize the new opportunities brought about by AI, and create value for our citizens and also for the rest of the world.
Singapore will adopt a human-centric approach to AI, and focus on the use of the technology to deliver impactful social and economic benefits to Singaporeans. For a start, Singapore has identified five National AI Projects that we will embark on in the following key sectors: Transport and Logistics, Smart Cities and Estates, Healthcare, Education, Safety and Security.
International Collaboration is Key Ingredient to Success
As a small open economy, Singapore welcomes opportunities to collaborate with businesses and talents over the world to realise our National AI strategy. As Singapore transforms its key sectors through AI, there will be many opportunities for businesses and investors to work together to research, develop and deploy AI solutions. We aspire to be the launchpad for businesses to test these solutions and bring them to the rest of Southeast Asia, and beyond.
We believe our key attraction as a partner in the field of AI is our effectiveness in deployment. As a city-state with a single layer of government, we can be nimble in adapting regulations and processes to facilitate the testing and deploying of new technology and solutions. One example is in the development of platforms to share data securely and effectively across organisations, to facilitate the training and testing of AI algorithms. We have a technologically-savvy population, and are a global trade and economic hub.
Singapore has invested over S$500 million to further AI research innovation and enterprise. We will continue to raise our AI R&D capabilities, and strengthen the triple helix partnership between the research community, industry, and Government, to develop, deploy and commercialise AI solutions. Singapore will also tap into international partnerships in areas like data sharing and digital identity cross recognition, to facilitate cross border AI collaboration to solve common challenges.
Managing and Governing the Impact of AI
Singapore will continue to contribute significantly to the global discourse on AI ethics and governance, and proactively address issues and risks brought about by use of AI, through efforts akin to the Model AI Governance Framework that we published in January 2019. This framework provides detailed and readily implementable guidance to private sector organisations to address key ethical and governance issues when deploying AI solutions.
We will work closely with key international organisations and standard-setting organisations, to develop AI-related policies and standards. The objective is to help promote the responsible and secure use of AI for global and societal benefit.
National AI Office
Singapore has established a National AI Office to drive the national AI agenda and to catalyse efforts across research, industry and government stakeholders to work on identified areas of priorities.
For more information on Singapore’s National AI Strategy, visit go.gov.sg/AIStrategy
