OpenAI commits $300m to boost AI skills, offer tools and solutions for businesses in Singapore

SINGAPORE – ChatGPT creator OpenAI has committed more than $300 million to build Singapore’s applied artificial intelligence sector, a burgeoning field focused on integrating AI models into everyday workflows for productivity gains.

Central to its plan is the opening of the OpenAI Singapore Applied AI Lab, its first outside the US. The lab will focus on advancing AI missions in public services, finance and healthcare sectors, and digital infrastructure here.

No timeframe was given for the $300 million commitment.

On May 20, OpenAI signed an agreement with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) called OpenAI for Singapore, which carries three pillars of collaboration. The partnership was inked at ATxSummit, part of the Asia Tech x Singapore conference held at Capella Singapore.

“Through OpenAI for Singapore, we want to help more organisations benefit from frontier AI, support the next generation of local AI talent and widen access to these tools across the country,” said OpenAI chief revenue officer Denise Dresser.

“With AI reshaping economies, businesses and the workforce, Singapore’s response has been deliberate: Growing new sectors, anchoring global frontier companies here, and equipping our people with the skills to thrive in this new environment,” said Mr Chng Kai Fong, MDDI Permanent Secretary (Digital Development and Information).

“This partnership with OpenAI reflects the Government’s commitment to developing Singapore’s AI capabilities, strengthening enterprise adoption of AI and securing good jobs for Singaporeans.”

A central pillar is the OpenAI Singapore Applied AI Lab, which will focus on building a dedicated team of forward-deployed engineers and technical specialists. The number of such roles is expected to grow to more than 200 over the next few years.

A forward-deployed engineer is a hybrid business-technical role for software engineers. Such engineers work directly with companies on real-world business problems to solve pain points and unlock new sources of value.

Job postings for forward-deployed engineers have reportedly seen a year-on-year increase of more than 700 per cent as at April.

OpenAI will launch a forward-deployed engineer programme here to train mid-career software engineers to build real-world AI systems.

The lab will support work aligned with Singapore’s AI missions and national priorities – announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in February – in areas such as public services, healthcare and digital infrastructure.

The second pillar focuses on AI talent development and will see OpenAI work with Singapore’s education sector on capability-building programmes and research partnerships, including through hands-on workshops under a local chapter of the OpenAI Academy, the company’s online training platform.

OpenAI said it will also continue working with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and AI Singapore under the AIxTech programme to build AI fluency among tech professionals, including by providing access to Codex, OpenAI’s coding agent.

The third pillar, AI for All, will see individuals, businesses and start-ups gain greater access to AI tools and expertise through initiatives co-developed by OpenAI.

These include citizen-centric AI applications to enhance how people interact with public services, AI Accelerator programmes offering technical consultancy, support for local and international start-ups, and workshops for micro-entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Localised content will also be developed for SkillsFuture programmes to support broad-based AI capability development.

Expanded partnership with Google

Separately, on May 20, Google also announced the expansion of its partnership with the Government in various areas, building on the success of a 2022 agreement with the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group.

The first area is healthcare. Google DeepMind – the tech giant’s AI research lab – is exploring working with public health clusters as part of its global AI co-clinician research initiative, which studies how AI can enhance a doctor’s expertise to deliver higher-quality care.

Google DeepMind is also partnering with the National Research Foundation to train local researchers in agentic tools for science, such as Co-Scientist, a collaborative AI tool that accelerates research.

Google will also collaborate with A*STAR, with the research and development agency planning to equip researchers and staff with AI-enabled tools on Google Cloud to generate hypotheses to boost scientific research and analysis.

A running assistant powered by Google’s Gemma AI models will also be developed for blind and low-vision athletes, providing real-time environmental understanding to help them run independently. Google DeepMind and SG Enable will test this assistant to ensure it meets the real-world needs of such athletes.

The Ministry of Education is also expanding its tie-up with Google to strengthen educator training and upskilling programmes.

Google also worked with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, the Government Technology Agency of Singapore and IMDA to explore how AI agents can be safely and effectively used, producing a shared white paper that aims to serve as a practical road map for governments hoping to harness AI agents for public good.

“Through this expanded partnership with the Singapore Government, we are putting AI into action by combining the best of our technology, R&D expertise and local talent to accelerate AI for the public good,” said Google Singapore country managing director Ben King.

“This also creates a scalable blueprint for responsible AI innovation, built in Singapore for the world,” he added.

Also on May 20, consultancy firm Temus launched its AI Foundry, supported by Digital Industry Singapore – a joint office of the Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore and IMDA. The foundry aims to hire 50 Singapore-based AI architects, data scientists and engineers. 

Firms across different industries are now exploring how AI can improve the way they work, said Mr Sng Ren Yeong, the CEO of Temus, which was set up by Temasek in 2021.

“Our AI Foundry is designed to support this next phase of AI-enabled transformation by building Singapore-based talent, codifying proven delivery methods and enabling enterprises to turn AI ambition into lasting business impact,” he said.