Singapore - Artificial Intelligence - 新南向科研合作專網

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: Published: 29 July 2024

country: Singapore
Theme: Artificial Intelligence

Article banner: Singapore - Artificial Intelligence

Summary:
Singapore ranks second in the world and first in Asia in AI applications and deployments. Furthermore, Singapore was the first Southeast Asian country to release a national AI strategy. As an ASEAN leader in AI, Singapore is currently developing SEA-LION, a large language model tailored to the specific conditions of Southeast Asia by supporting 11 languages found across Southeast Asia and South Asia.

Section:｜Agencies｜Overview｜Policies & Strategies｜Education｜Development｜International Collaboration｜Table｜

Agencies

Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO)
Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI)
formerly Ministry of Communication and Information (MCI)*
Government Technology Agency (GovTech)
Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)

Overview

From 2021 to 2023, the US has been the only country to place ahead of Singapore on the Government AI Readiness Index. Singapore has been exceptional in applying AI in three key areas: government agencies, the technology sector, and data and infrastructure. It is also the first Southeast Asian country to release a national AI strategy.

Singapore's Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo stated, "Artificial intelligence and machine learning have already shaped people's daily life experiences and influenced decisions. The government should strive to provide better services to citizens through AI." Since Singapore launched its National AI Strategy (NAIS) in 2019, over 85% of government agencies have adopted at least one AI technology to enhance productivity.

Additionally, Singapore plans to enhance the efficiency of policy formulation and implementation by using Large Language Models (LLMs) to integrate social services, government subsidy programs, and the selection process for public projects. This will be supported by the certification tool AI Verify, which will assess artificial intelligence systems in terms of security, reliability, and degree of alignment with public interest. (Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, 2023)

Policies & Strategies

National AI Strategy 2.0
In December 2023, Singapore's Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and Smart Nation Singapore jointly launched the National AI Strategy 2.0 (NAIS 2.0). This strategy, which Singapore formulated in response to the global release and adoption of ChatGPT in 2022, has revised and strengthened the country’s focus on AI development. Unlike the original 2019 version, NAIS 2.0 has elevated the status of AI from a potential opportunity to a practical necessity while expanding development from individual projects to a more systematic approach. The strategy outlines 3 Systems, 10 Enablers, and 15 Actions to enhance Singapore's national capabilities in AI over the next 3 to 5 years, with ongoing reviews to respond to the rapid growth of AI in various fields.

Singapore’s NAIS 2.0 Development Diagram (Source: © Smart Nation Singapore / MCI)

Singapore's NAIS 2.0 Development Diagram
(Source: © Smart Nation Singapore / MCI)

National AI Strategy
In November 2019, Singapore launched the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS). The strategy's National AI Projects focused on five key domestic areas: transportation and logistics, smart cities and real estate, healthcare, education systems, and border security. To showcase the value and benefits of AI, NAIS also clearly defined five key elements for the Ecosystem Enablers for AI: establishing a three-pronged partnership among industry, government, and academia; fostering domestic AI talent and educational programs; bolstering a robust cross-agency data architecture; creating an advanced and trustworthy environment; and collaborating with international partners. Singapore aims to drive AI innovation and application by developing and deploying scalable and impactful AI solutions. In addition, the country hopes to become a leader in AI before 2030 by focusing on high-value key areas that benefit its citizens and businesses alike.

Smart Nation Singapore
In November 2014, the Prime Minister of Singapore announced the forward-looking vision of Smart Nation Singapore, which aims to establish a digital government, society, and economy. Since October 2023, the MCI has been responsible for managing SNS. At that time, MCI also merged with the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG), which was originally responsible for overseeing SNS, digital government services, and developing and applying digital technologies and capabilities. This consolidation is expected to enhance organizational capabilities, concentrate resources, promote cross-departmental collaboration, ensure the effective implementation of government technology policies, and address digital development challenges while leading advancements in the digital economy, digital readiness, and cybersecurity.

Digital Enterprise Blueprint
In May 2024, MCI (now known as MDDI) released the Digital Enterprise Blueprint. The document highlights that the adoption rate of digital technologies among Singapore's SMEs has significantly increased, rising from 74% in 2018 to 95% in 2023. However, the AI adoption rate among SMEs has not met expectations, with only 4.2% adopting AI in 2023.

To boost AI adoption among SMEs as much as possible and train AI-related talent within the private sector, Singapore has introduced several initiatives, such as SMEs Go Digital, the Generative AI Sandbox for SMEs, GenAI x Digital Leaders, and TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA). Notably, SMEs Go Digital, launched in 2017, has been at the forefront of promoting AI and digital industry talent development through subsidies. (MDDI, 2024) (STPI OUTLOOK, 2024)

The 4 Focus Areas of Singapore’s Digital Enterprise Blueprint (Source: © MDDI)

Safety Guidelines for Generative AI Development (Expected to be Implemented in 2025)
In July 2024, during the opening speech of Personal Data Protection Week, Minister for MDDI Josephine Teo announced that Singapore plans to introduce the Safety Guidelines for Generative AI Model Developers and App Deployers in early 2025 to ensure that users can confidently use AI products due to the establishment of better protections for personal data. The guidelines will provide clear transparency and responsibility directives, allowing regulatory agencies to collaborate with industry stakeholders.

In addition to these regulations, Singapore will further support using Privacy Enhancing Technologies in AI. This includes having the regulatory sandbox of Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) support projects related to the use of data in generative AI and release recommended guidelines for Synthetic Data production. Furthermore, Singapore plans to publish the ASEAN Guide on Data Anonymisation in 2025 to promote regional data regulation and connectivity across Southeast Asia and provide valuable resources to relevant ASEAN industry players. (TAITRA, 2024) (MDDI, 2024)

Other AI-Related Policies
In addition to focusing on AI development and talent training, Singapore is also committed to formulating AI-related policies, regulations, and guidelines for various other sectors. Examples include the Model Artificial Intelligence Governance Framework, the Digital Economy Framework for Action, the National AI Programme in Finance, the Services & Digital Economy Technology Roadmap & Services 4.0, the AI in Healthcare Guidelines, and the Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data. These policies are designed to increase AI adoption by advising industries to initiate digitalization-related policies.

Promoting Education

National University of Singapore
In March 2024, the National University of Singapore (NUS) officially established the NUS AI Institute (NAII) to promote research, development, and applications in AI while forming talent teams and establishing partnerships with both the public and private sectors. According to an NUS press release, the institute will focus on AI research in areas such as education, healthcare, finance, and sustainable development. It will bring together researchers from various departments, including business, computer science, data science, engineering, and medicine to initiate research projects that advance development in these fields by exploring the effective utilization of AI technologies. Additionally, NAII will lead collaborative research efforts with IBM and Google Cloud to promote technological advancements and increase social impact. (Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, 2024) (NUS, 2024)

AI Singapore
In May 2017, Singapore launched the national initiative AI Singapore, which aims to enhance Singapore's economic strength and competitiveness by focusing on AI research, innovation, and talent development. One of the key components of this initiative is LearnAI, which provides AI learning resources tailored to different demographics. For example, the AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP) offers AI-related training, internship opportunities, and government-subsidized courses designed for different groups, such as AI for Everyone (AI4E)®, AI for Kids (AI4K)®, AI for Students (AI4S)®, and AI for Industry (AI4I)®.

The AI Student Outreach Programme, supported by Singapore's Ministry of Education, aims to promote AI literacy and proficiency among students at various academic levels, including Secondary Schools, Integrated Programme (IP) schools, Junior Colleges, Institutes of Technical Education (ITE), Polytechnics, and Universities.

The program's goals are divided into three progressive levels: understanding each student's AI learning needs, encouraging students to participate in group projects and exploring various AI tools. As shown in the diagram below, students can earn industry-recognized certificates upon completing each level.

Goals of the AI Student Outreach Programme (Source: © AI Singapore)

Technology Development

SEA-LION
AI Singapore has developed a large language model called SEA-LION (Southeast Asian Languages In One Network) that is tailored to the cultural background of Southeast Asia. This initiative addresses the issue that many existing large language models and their training data are predominantly based on Western cultural backgrounds, values, and political ideals. The training sources for the SEA-LION 7B Model Dataset include data from 11 languages: English, Chinese, Indonesian, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Tamil, Burmese, Khmer, and Lao. Thus, SEA-LION is better able to perform tasks such as translation, summarization, text-based question-and-answer, and code generation for Southeast Asian users. (AI Singapore, 2023)

In January 2024, Minister for MDDI Josephine Teo responded to a parliamentary query regarding the SEA-LION model. She confirmed that the model's training includes datasets in colloquial English (or Singlish), Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. In the next phase of the project, there are plans to further enhance SEA-LION by incorporating speech data that includes non-verbal cues such as tone and pitch. Before expanding to other languages, researchers will first assess the effectiveness of the model after both the non-textual data of standard and colloquial English have been integrated. (Smart Nation Singapore, 2024)

AI-Verify

In May 2024, Minister for MDDI Josephine Teo announced the launch of the AI Verify Project Moonshot. The public beta version of this testing toolkit, which was designed to resolve security issues related to the use of large language models, is now available to the public. It is also the world's first open-source software that integrates red teaming, benchmark testing, and baseline testing into an easy-to-use platform. The toolkit aims to provide intuitive results on the quality and security of models and applications in a way that is easy to understand, even for non-technical users. To better meet the needs of businesses, the project was developed in collaboration with DataRobot, IBM, Singtel, and Temasek. (Taiwan English News, 2024)

The AI Verify Project Moonshot was subsequently launched after the January 2024 release of the Model AI Governance Framework for Generative AI - Draft, which covered nine key areas, including accountability, data, and reporting. (IMDA, 2024) (Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, 2024)

In October 2023, IMDA and the AI Verify Foundation (AIVF) launched the Generative AI Evaluation Sandbox, which has provided a space for AI experimentation and development. It has also allowed entities throughout related supply chains to maintain transparency regarding their needs. (NCC, 2023)

In May 2022, IMDA and the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) launched the world's first AI testing framework and toolkit, the AI Verify Toolkit. (NCC, 2022)

International Collaboration

United States

In June 2024, MDDI and the US Department of Commerce launched the Artificial Intelligence Talent Bridge Programme. By providing opportunities related to emerging technologies and AI, this initiative assists and supports young people, women, and future leaders working in innovative fields. During a meeting between the two agencies, it was stated that Singapore and the US would strengthen cooperation and adopt a similar outlook towards digital development. Moreover, the initiatives presented at this meeting built upon the 2022 US-Singapore Women in Tech Partnership Programme, which deepened collaboration between the two countries in key emerging technologies, including AI. The cooperation will focus on three specific areas: digital infrastructure and services, AI innovation and governance, and skills development. Singapore indicated that as AI continues to develop, investments in AI will also increase. For example, investments in submarine cables and data centers are expected to reach SGD$20 billion soon. (The Straits Times, 2024) (CNA, 2024) (Business Times, 2024) (US Embassy in Singapore, 2024) (Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, 2024) (MDDI, 2024) (DOC, 2022)

Google

In January 2024, Singapore partnered with Google Cloud to host the Explore AI Summit. The summit focused on highlighting the outcomes since the July 2023 launch of AI Trailblazer Initiative, in which 84 companies and government agencies have developed over 100 GenAI solutions. During the summit, Minister for MDDI Josephine Teo announced the launch of AI Trailblazer 2.0. Organizations participating in the initiative will have access to Google's latest multimodal large language models, Gemini and Duet AI for Developers. This will assist the Singaporean government and private businesses in developing generative AI solutions. In addition, AI Trailblazer 2.0 aims to extend these solutions to 150 organizations. (Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, 2024) (The Straits Times, 2024)

In July 2023, MCI (now MDDI), Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), and the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) launched the AI Trailblazer Initiative in collaboration with Google Cloud. The initiative aimed to equip public officials with AI and machine learning skills to build AI capabilities in government. Google is providing AI models and development tools to organizations and the government, which has allowed them to use cloud space to develop and test their generative AI solutions. In the future, Google will continue to support Singapore's AI development by launching initiatives focused on AI talent cultivation, local AI startup development, and the responsible development of AI in the private sector. (Smart Nation Singapore, 2023)

In May 2023, Singapore's GovTech partnered with Google Cloud to launch the Artificial Intelligence Government Cloud Cluster (AGCC) platform. This platform was designed to help government agencies leverage AI to improve efficiency and utilize responsible AI applications. As part of this collaboration, GovTech and Google Cloud designed the Digital Academy, which aims to build internal data science and AI expertise within government agencies and develop AI innovation strategies to implement best practices in data governance. (Smart Nation Singapore, 2023)

NVIDIA
At a press conference during a visit to Singapore in December 2023, NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang stated that NVIDIA would enhance collaboration with Singapore in AI. This would include working with IMDA to support the SEA-LION initiative and planning for the creation of a more powerful supercomputer. (Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, 2023) (CNA, 2023)

IBM
In October 2019, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) announced a partnership with IBM Singapore to launch a series of AI training programs. These programs aimed to facilitate the implementation of AI solutions in local businesses by helping Singaporean workers develop AI knowledge and skills.

IBM has been one of Singapore’s earliest partners in AI development by providing the country with industry-led AI training programs. This collaboration between SSG and IBM aimed to help professionals apply the latest AI resources and networks to their ongoing projects by training 2,500 Singaporeans in AI and emerging skills before 2022.

Additionally, SSG and IBM have incorporated AI content into the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace courses. This has helped Singaporeans understand the basics of AI technology and how to apply AI in the workplace and daily life. (Smart Nation Singapore, 2019)

Amazon
In May 2024, Amazon Web Services (AWS) held the AWS ASEAN Summit in Singapore. In response to the growing demand for cloud technology in Singapore and Southeast Asia, AWS announced it would invest SGD$12 billion (approximately US$8.87 billion) between 2024 and 2028. This investment will enhance AWS's facilities and services in Singapore, including the introduction of more advanced equipment and software to prepare for the development of generative artificial intelligence. The investment will cover areas such as construction, facility maintenance, engineering, and telecommunications.

In addition to investment, AWS also announced the launch of AWS AI Spring Singapore, aimed at facilitating the adoption of AI in six key sectors—private businesses, startups, workers, research and development, public services, and communities. AWS will collaborate with IMDA to host workshops and provide consulting services to help 100 SMEs leverage AI to expand their businesses. In addition, AWS will also work with Singapore's technical institutes to integrate AI content into their curricula to cultivate relevant talent. (Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, 2024) (Amazon Singapore, 2024) (Amazon Singapore Press Centre, 2024)

International Organizations

ASEAN
In February 2023, during the 3rd ASEAN Digital Ministers Meeting (ADGMIN), it was noted that closing the talent and skills gap across the ASEAN region would require enhanced cooperation and initiatives focused on artificial intelligence and digital skills. Therefore, member states were urged to adopt emerging technologies such as Blockchain Technology and AI to facilitate digital transformation. Additionally, it was stated that relevant policies and regulations should be adjusted to ensure that these emerging technologies develop within an innovative, responsible, and secure ecosystem. Following the meeting, the implementation of the ASEAN Strategy Guidance on Artificial Intelligence was confirmed, while the Artificial Intelligence Landscape Study Report was completed. (ASEAN, 2023)

In July 2023, MCI (now MDDI) announced to the Parliament of Singapore that the country would serve as the host for the 4th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting, in which Singapore aimed to collaborate with ASEAN member states to develop an ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics. (MCI, 2023)

In February 2024, the 4th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting was held in Singapore, where ASEAN member states officially signed the first ASEAN Guide on Artificial Intelligence Governance and Ethics. The guide includes examples of trusted AI and will serve as a tool to support the implementation of trusted AI solutions across the ASEAN region. The meeting also expressed the intention to establish a new working group that focuses on AI governance under ADGSOM which would also include preliminary research on generative AI. (ASEAN, 2024)

Singapore's Policy on Artificial Intelligence

Agency	Policy, Strategy, Project & Initiative
Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO)	National AI Strategy National AI Strategy 2.0 National Artificial Intelligence Programme in Finance Artificial Intelligence Government Cloud Cluster AI Trailblazers Initiative
AI Singapore	SEA-LION AI Apprenticeship Programme
Ministry of Communication and Information (MCI)	AI Trailblazers Initiative AI Talent Bridge Programme
Ministry of Health (MOH)	Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Guidelines
Government Technology Agency (GovTech)	GovTech Digital Academy
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)	National AI Programme in Finance
Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)	The Services and Digital Economy Technology Roadmap Singapore’s Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data AI Trailblazers Initiative AI Apprenticeship Programme AI Verify Foundation Model AI Governance Framework
National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF)	AI Singapore
Ministry of Education, Singapore National University of Singapore (NUS)	AI Singapore AI Apprenticeship Programme
Personal Data Protection Commission Singapore (PDPC)	Model AI Governance Framework
SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)	The SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace 2.0