Singapore to establish National AI Council, AI missions

Photo credit: Lawrence Wong’s Linkedln

The Singapore government will launch a set of national AI missions to drive AI-led transformation in four key economic sectors and form a new National AI Council to drive the city-state’s AI agenda.

To fully realize the tech’s potential, Singapore must “organize at a national level and move with speed and scale,” Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong said in his budget speech in Parliament.

The four key areas the AI missions will focus on are: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare. This initiative will “push the boundaries of what is possible,” said Wong, who is also the prime minister.

In advanced manufacturing, for instance, Singapore aims to accelerate innovation and build globally competitive best-in-class factories, Wong noted. When it comes to connectivity and logistics, AI can help automate airport and seaport operations, move goods more efficiently, and strengthen the city-state’s position as a global hub.

The government will review regulations and create sandboxes for safe and responsible testing. It will also align its research and development, regulatory, and investment promotion efforts.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry will share more details about the AI mission for advanced manufacturing at its 2026 Committee of Supply. Information on the missions concerning other sectors will be announced in due course.

These moves will require a coordinated national effort, according to Wong. He added that the new National AI Council, which he will chair, will provide the necessary strategic direction and drive Singapore’s AI agenda.

This will include overseeing the development and execution of the AI missions, commissioning these missions in priority sectors, and unlocking regulations and resources to accelerate the development, testing, deployment, and scaling of AI solutions.

In addition to Wong, the council will have six members.

They include Gan Kim Yong, deputy prime minister and minister for trade and industry; Ong Ye Kung, coordinating minister for social policies and minister for health; and Josephine Teo, minister for digital development and information.

Also joining the council are Tan See Leng, minister for manpower and minister-in-charge of energy and science and technology in the Ministry of Trade and Industry; Chee Hong Tat, minister for national development and deputy chairman of the Board of Directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore; and Jeffrey Siow, acting minister for transport and senior minister of state for finance.

See also: When skills beat degrees in an AI economy

This story was republished with permission from The Business Times. It was moderately edited to reflect Tech in Asia’s editorial guidelines.