Singapore will invest more than S$1 billion ($778.8 million) in public artificial intelligence research through 2030, aiming to strengthen national capabilities and enhance global competitiveness, the government said on Saturday. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information said funding will focus on priority areas such as responsible and resource-efficient AI, as well as developing local talent from pre-university education to advanced academic research.
Part of the investment will support industry adoption of AI by building applied capabilities that help companies integrate the technology into real-world operations. The move builds on earlier commitments, including S$500 million set aside in 2024 for high-performance computing infrastructure to power AI development across the public and private sectors.
Singapore has also committed more than S$500 million to AI research through AI Singapore, a national programme designed to deepen AI expertise. In 2023, researchers released the open-source Sea-Lion large language model, tailored to Southeast Asian languages and later adopted by companies such as Indonesia’s GoTo. A newer version released in October 2025 expanded language coverage and improved regional relevance, reinforcing Singapore’s ambition to become a leading AI hub.
