Singapore draws up digital blueprint for generative AI and autonomous systems

Singapore has drawn up a year-long roadmap it believes will ensure its digital infrastructure is up to date to tap emerging technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous systems and immersive multi-party interactions is ready.

Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo said the Digital Connectivity Blueprint maps out key priorities for the country’s infrastructure over the next 10 years and serves as a foundation on which it can better realize opportunities.

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The blueprint includes physical infrastructure including broadband, mobile networks and data centres, as well as “digital utilities” to facilitate secure and seamless cross-border transactions. Teo said these transactions include e-payment and invoicing, data exchange, document authentication and identity verification.

He added that the blueprint will better position Singapore to embrace opportunities from emerging technology trends, such as generative AI and autonomous vehicles.

The roadmap will require significant resources, she noted, pointing to submarine cables and data centers as two big-ticket items that will drive some SG$20 billion ($14.78 billion) in investment. Of this, S$10 billion to S$12 billion is expected to go towards building new green data centres, Teo said, adding that the private sector will fund most of the investments.

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The Digital Connectivity Blueprint outlines plans to build 10Gbps nationwide connectivity over the next five years and provide the capability to double subsea cable landings within the next decade.

“We will accelerate the use of space and landing resources, so that operators can expand and diversify the network of submarine cables,” the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said. Developed the roadmap with the Ministry of Communications and Information. IMDA said the efforts here will promote digital connectivity between Singapore, Southeast Asia and other regions.

The government agency said the spectrum will be allocated to enable faster Wi-Fi networks and standalone 5G networks to further improve their performance and help business adoption. “We envision a future where seamless ‘handover’ between different modes of connectivity also enables seamless movement between outdoor and indoor environments, paving the way for game-changing innovation,” the agency said.

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Some 98% of households in Singapore currently have broadband access, typically at speeds of 1Gbps. The goal is to increase this to 10Gbps in the next five years, as Wi-Fi 6E and 5G standalone networks roll out. According to IMDA, infrastructure upgrades to achieve these speeds will begin in mid-2024.

Initiatives will also be taken in other nascent areas such as quantum computing, where Singapore aims to be quantum secure within the next 10 years. IMDA said the country’s dense urban environment and extensive fiber network present an advantage in implementing quantum-secure communications.

The government agency said there are plans to pilot quantum-secure networks and quantum-as-a-service applications for commercial customers. “Known as the National Quantum Secure Network Plus (NQSN+), it will allow us to test, innovate and push the boundaries on both technical and commercial deployment.”

Launching Innovation Center with AWS

IMDA also announced its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Monday through the launch of a joint innovation centre. Billed as a launchpad for businesses and startups in Southeast Asia, the new site houses various specialized labs including 5G as well as augmented and virtual reality. It also has usability-testing facilities.

Housed in IMDA’s own innovation hub Pixel, the innovation center will provide “exclusive access” to the latest technologies and methodologies for successful deployment, the Singapore agency said. More than 200 AWS technology offerings are available to experiment with, along with project-based consultations with experts from IMDA and AWS.

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The new innovation center will also provide connections to both IMDA’s and AWS’ network of startups and organizations across Southeast Asia and US cloud vendors.

Companies can use the center to develop proof-of-concepts in a sandbox environment. The Innovation Center will showcase technology offerings built on AWS and from startups participating in IMDA’s various programs, including recognition schemes.