Singapore Tech in brief
Keys to Broadening AI and High Performance Computing Adoption in Singapore
Gartner's 2020 report on emerging technologies predicts that in the next 10 years, AI-related technologies will have high competitive advantage for companies that adopt them. The Singapore AI market is predicted to grow to US$960 million in 2022 and US$16 billion by 2030. A Microsoft & IDC Asia/Pacific study estimates that AI will double innovation & employee productivity in Singapore by the end of 2021.
AI Singapore (AISG) launched 2 initiatives in 2019 to expand national capability, AI for Everyone (AI4E) & AI for Industry (AI4I). Which, together with the government’s TechsSkills Accelerator (TeSA) and Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) initiatives, will upskill individuals and businesses in AI literacy.
In key sectors, organizations increasingly adopt AI in their business strategy. In healthcare and manufacturing, A*STAR rolls out initiatives to implement machine learning technologies; Accenture research estimates that AI integration will boost growth in the manufacturing sector in 2035 by 40%, to US$101.1 billion compared to US$71.3 billion without AI.
Nonetheless, for Singapore to fully realise the potential of AI technologies, misconceptions and data ethical issues must be resolved. SGTech, as the industry champion for tech, aims to launch initiatives targeting these issues to shape the future of AI technology in Singapore.
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Posted on 11/11/2020
Three-Pronged Approach to Boost Singapore’s Smart Nation Journey
Singapore was named Smart City of 2018 at the Smart City Expo World Congress and ranked first among the Top 10 smartest cities in the world by the IMD World Competitiveness Centre in 2019 and 2020.
Through the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), Singapore has implemented several smart nation initiatives. Government agencies have adopted PayNow, a standardised simple e-payment system usable by all customers of participating banks. Nationwide, the SGQR standard has unified various e-payment platforms into one single QR code for merchants.
The government has also implemented the Smart Nation Sensor Platform which collects data on a nationwide level in order to improve city level planning, operations, and security. Smart Lamp Posts (LAAP) are one part of the system, using the more than 95,000 lamp posts in Singapore as data collection platforms.
Towards the continuation and improvement of Singapore's successes, SGTech advocates a three-pronged approach. Firstly in integrating tech industry companies in the Smart Nation ecosphere, secondly by raising awareness and adoption of Smart Nation initiatives in the private sector, and finally by bridging smart solution providers to overseas markets to create a global system of application & innovation.
Posted on 11/11/2020
Continued Cyber Security Preparedness a Critical Success Factor to Singapore’s Digital Hub Status
As Singapore accelerates its digitization efforts, cybersecurity becomes more important than ever. As such, cybersecurity preparedness must be top of mind.
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore enacted the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Program which encompasses the Cybersecurity Act, National Cyber Incident Response Team, and National Cyber Security Centre, to proactively protect Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure from cyber-attacks. Further, the National Cybercrime Action Plan establishes a coordinated national effort to tackle cybercrime.
Singapore also strengthens the cybersecurity ecosystem by working with industry professionals and IHLs to empower the workforce and develop effective R&D. The ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence champions upskilling of cyber capabilities in the region.
SGTech recommends a two-pronged approach to increase cybersecurity cognition and readiness. Firstly, focus on the immediate; Simplify the cybersecurity process for businesses while ensuring the safety of vulnerable micro-enterprises. Secondly, plan for the future by establishing a robust talent pipeline that imbues meaning and improves gender equality in the cybersecurity sector.
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Posted on 8/10/2020
Multi-Layered Approach Needed to Address the Energy Needs of Data Centres
The data centre industry in Singapore is growing rapidly. The Arcadis Data Centre Location Index 2021 ranked Singapore the second most attractive city to build data centres. Singapore’s disaster-free nature, well educated workforce, and stable government makes it a natural colocation data centre hub. Singapore hosts about 60 data centres that provide a total capacity of 650 MW. Singapore is also a hub for submarine cable network connections from around the globe, with 20 submarine cable systems having landings in Singapore. These submarine cable systems have a potential bandwidth capacity of over 410 Tbps.
While Singapore expands its role as a regional hub of digitization & data driven industry, it has to tackle issues of its carbon footprint, balancing the reduction of emissions while maintaining and improving the Economic Value Addedness & its attractiveness to FDIs. SGTech aims to support the government in achieving this balance through 7 concrete steps that Singapore can take while addressing the energy needs of its data centres.
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Posted on 30/09/2020