A Google Cloud executive told CNBC that Singapore has “very high” potential as a worldwide hub for artificial intelligence, in part because of its innovative culture.
Managing director of worldwide AI business and applied engineering at Google Cloud Caroline Yap told CNBC that “you need really good public and private partnerships in order for AI to really deliver on its potential.”
Yap gave a speech on the fringes of the January Explore AI summit, which was organized by Google Cloud and the Singaporean government to honor the best generative AI solutions from businesses that participated in the “AI Trailblazers” program.
The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office, Digital Industry Singapore, Google Cloud, and the Ministry of Communications and Information in Singapore first announced the program in July.
″… when you do have good public and private partnerships, you can really start to not just improve the public sector use cases like citizen services, but you can also foster an environment for innovation,” said Yap.
One of the first nations to have an AI strategy was Singapore, which unveiled the National AI Strategy 2.0 in December, an updated version of its goals to increase the usage of AI.
Two sandboxes were established as part of the AI Trailblazers project to give up to 100 enterprises in the city-state access to the high-performance graphics processing units, low-code developer tools, Vertex AI platform, and pre-trained generative AI models offered by Google Cloud. This makes it possible for them to create and test their own generative AI solutions in a specialized, cloud-based environment.
Forty-three government and private sector entities successfully developed their own generative AI solutions using Google’s AI stack thanks to the cooperative relationship.
Additionally, Yap stated that it benefits all Singaporeans, “either as consumers of these technologies or being in the economy as it grows for these types of innovation.”
Yap said to CNBC that while some countries are open and cooperative like Singapore’s, others aren’t. She didn’t go into detail about the nations they were.
According to senior policy researcher Kendrick Chan of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, “Singapore already has many of the foundations needed to flourish as a global AI hub.”
“The government has launched various AI initiatives, supported local research on AI and engages private sector tech companies in consultative dialogues in its policymaking process.”
According to the Center for Security and Emerging Technologies, Singapore’s stature as an AI hub “continues to rise,” offering substantial prospects for cross-border cooperation. The center is a think tank housed within the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.
“Initiatives such as fast-tracking patent approval, incentivizing private investment, and addressing talent shortfalls are making the country a rapidly growing global AI hub,” CSET said in a March report.
“There is also thinking at the national level about the ethics and governance issues of AI. All of this helps position Singapore as a key player in the global AI landscape,” said Chan.
He went on to say that Singapore faces “some challenges ahead,” like intense competition from other cities for the best AI talent.
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Partnerships are “yet another important aspect of good governance,” according to Singapore’s Minister of Communications and Information, who made this statement at the Explore AI event on January 29.
“We partner for inclusion. Inclusion means making sure that people not only have access to the tools, but they are provided with opportunities to grow the skills that will enable them to use these tools well,” said Josephine Teo.
Singapore has been working to encourage the ethical application of AI.
The nation released AI Verify in May 2022, which is the first software toolkit and framework for AI governance testing for businesses worldwide. It allows customers to record process checks and do technical tests on their AI models.
Businesses including Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Singapore Airlines have already tried out the AI Verify tool and given their opinions.