Singapore, US announce new AI Talent Bridge programme focused ...
SINGAPORE: Singapore and the United States will embark on a new artificial intelligence (AI) Talent Bridge programme which will focus on emerging tech and AI opportunities for women, authorities from both countries said on Wednesday (Jun 5).
The announcement was made ahead of a roundtable on AI, led by Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo and US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo at The Treasury building in Singapore.
The event was attended by companies from both countries, including Google, Grab and Microsoft, as well as government officials.
The new AI Talent Bridge programme expands on the US-Singapore Women in Tech Partnership Programme launched by both Mrs Teo and Ms Raimondo in 2022.
"In the months ahead, it will deepen collaboration between the United States and Singapore on critical emerging technology, including AI, with an emphasis on supporting youth, women, and future leaders in tech," the US Department of Commerce and Singapore's Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) said in a factsheet.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Teo raised three areas of cooperation between both countries in digital development.
These are in digital infrastructure and services, AI innovation and governance, and skills development.
Mrs Teo cited figures which showed that tech spending in Singapore has grown steadily, amounting to around S$100 billion (US$74 billion) over the past five years, with US tech firms that have major market share as key beneficiaries.
"We are continuing to invest in the fundamentals, and what we will see in terms of investments in submarine cables and data centres is likely to catalyse upwards of S$20 billion in investments," said Mrs Teo.
Mrs Teo noted that the green data centre roadmap, launched on May 30 to chart sustainable growth while adding to data centre capacity, will allow for up to 35 per cent expansion of capacity.
Both countries believe that the rise of AI, including generative AI, will bring new opportunities, including the ability to enhance economic and social welfare, and to support more competitive and environmentally sustainable economic growth.
"Our two governments recognise the tremendous potential of AI for good, including for the advancement of environmental sustainability, education, and healthcare," added the factsheet.
Nearly 6,000 US companies currently operate in Singapore, with bilateral trade supporting close to 250,000 jobs across the US.
"Technology spending in Singapore reached S$22 billion, the equivalent of US$16.3 billion in 2023, with the United States being the top foreign investor," the factsheet stated.
Existing and committed capital investments in AI by US companies over the next few years, in partnership with Singapore, exceed S$50 billion. This is a "very strong stamp of approval" in Singapore's digital economy, Mrs Teo said.
"We are very clear that it is not only designed to serve the market of 6 million people in Singapore, but the region around us. We are also very mindful that capital investments of this scale do not get approved without robust and hardnosed assessments, with the expectations that these will translate into strong return on investment," she added.
US companies are also investing in Singapore’s workforce, infrastructure, and research and development (R&D), including through establishing AI Centres of Excellence in line with Singapore’s National AI Strategy (NAIS) 2.0.
As part of NAIS 2.0, launched in December last year, the government aims to more than triple the number of AI practitioners here, to 15,000 over the next three to five years.
Companies from both countries have committed to partnering to raise the AI capabilities of more than 130,000 workers in Singapore.
To tackle the challenges that come with the rapid, global proliferation of AI, both countries have overseen the development of new frameworks to ensure safe use.
"Both sides recognise that the testing and evaluation of AI technologies should take into account trustworthiness considerations that can support the objectives of AI governance frameworks," the factsheet stated.
Ms Raimondo noted in her speech that the key to the adoption of AI was trust, which comes from safety and standards.
"We are committed to the aligning of these standards and ways to mitigate risk which will lead to greater trust by users, which will lead to more adoption," she said.
Singapore launched a new governance framework for generative AI last week, highlighting nine areas where governance of the technology can be strengthened.
The US Department of Commerce and MCI will continue to cooperate in this area to boost AI competitiveness for both countries and advance the work on AI safety.
