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President Tharman warns Singapore will face AI challenges early
Singapore is expected to face AI challenges sooner than many other nations due to its small size and reliance on technology, according to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
He noted that Singapore’s advanced digital infrastructure positions it to leverage AI benefits effectively.
During an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Tharman emphasized the importance of upskilling the workforce to work alongside AI, highlighting Singapore’s long-standing SkillsFuture initiative.
He warned that global AI governance is crucial to mitigate risks such as misinformation and cyber warfare.
Tharman also called for international cooperation between major powers like the US and China, as well as smaller countries, to establish frameworks that promote safe AI development.
He pointed out that global AI progress involves multiple races across research, implementation, and technology stacks, and that collaboration is vital to manage AI’s potential dangers.
🔗 Source: The Straits Times
🧠 Food for thought
Implications, context, and why it matters.
Singapore’s AI strategy is backed by targeted funding and specific programmes
- Singapore’s government has set aside up to S$150 million for the Enterprise Compute Initiative (ECI) to help Singapore-based companies run AI transformation work using cloud credits, related tools, consultancy support to build a minimum viable product (MVP), plus help with organisational change 1.
- ECI links participating companies with cloud service providers (CSPs) for AI tools, cloud credits, related training, plus support from consultant partners and system integrators (firms that help companies implement and connect new technology with existing systems) 1.
- The first ECI programme, “AI Cloud Takeoff,” provides benefits worth $500,000 each to 300 selected local companies to grow in-house AI expertise and move AI pilots into core operations 2.
- Skills support continues through a revamped SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit. Companies with at least three resident employees can receive S$10,000 in credits in the second half of 2026 3.
Singapore is positioning itself as a global AI safety convenor and a testbed for AI integration
- Singapore convened an International Scientific Exchange on AI Safety in April 2025. Participants came from 11 countries, including the US and China, and the meeting led to “The Singapore Consensus on Global AI Safety Research Priorities” 4.
- The Singapore Consensus sets out shared technical AI safety research priorities. Separate reporting says it suggests agreement can hold despite geopolitical strains 5.
- AI adoption at home is bringing fresh regulatory pressure. One consultancy blog puts AI use among recruiters at over 44% for video interviews and assessments 6.
- The same blog says the Workplace Fairness Act, passed in January 2025 and expected to commence in 2026 or 2027, will require employers using AI in employment decisions to keep outputs traceable and allow checks by the employer before decisions are taken 6.
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