Launch of the AI Trailblazers Initiative

24 JUL 2023

MCI, DISG, SNDGO, and Google Cloud Launch AI Trailblazers Initiative to Accelerate the Development of Impactful Generative AI Solutions in Singapore

24 July 2023

  • Singapore’s first Generative AI Innovation Sandboxes established to accelerate the development of generative AI solutions that address organisations’ real-world challenges
  • Innovation Sandboxes and tailored hands-on workshops aimed at identifying and addressing 100 generative AI use cases across government and industry within the next 100 days
  • Initiative is part of MCI, DISG, and Google Cloud’s strategic collaboration to bolster Singapore’s National AI Strategy, with further initiatives to be unveiled in the coming months

The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), and Google Cloud today announced the launch of “AI Trailblazers,” a joint initiative designed to help organisations in Singapore identify real-world challenges that can be addressed with generative AI, build generative AI solution prototypes, and bring these prototypes to production.

Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Smart Nation and Cybersecurity Mrs Josephine Teo was the Guest-of-Honour at the launch event for this initiative, which was hosted at the Google Asia Pacific campus. At the event, Minister Teo delivered opening remarks, viewed demos of generative AI solutions developed by startup and public sector teams, and interacted with the first cohort of AI Trailblazers workshop participants.

This announcement builds on the strategic collaboration between MCI and Google Cloud and the launch of the AI Government Cloud Cluster (AGCC) by SNDGO and Google Cloud in May 2023. It aims to advance Singapore’s position as an open and trusted global AI hub by accelerating the development and adoption of responsible and impactful AI solutions to maximise opportunities arising from Singapore and the region.

Equipping organisations with generative AI toolsets to spur innovation

Under the AI Trailblazers initiative, two Innovation Sandboxes have been established to provide up to 100 organisations in Singapore with seamless access to Google Cloud’s high-performance graphical processing units (GPUs), Vertex AI platform, pre-trained generative AI models, and low-code developer tools, at no cost for a fixed duration of up to three months. With access to these comprehensive, custombuilt, and easy-to-use generative AI toolsets, organisations can build and test their own generative AI solutions in a controlled and dedicated cloud-based environment.

The first Innovation Sandbox, administered by SNDGO through the AGCC, is dedicated for use by government agencies in Singapore. The second Innovation Sandbox, administered by DISG, is dedicated for use by Singapore-based companies.

Enabling organisations to build production-ready generative AI solutions

To deepen their in-house AI capabilities and competencies, organisations participating in the AI Trailblazers initiative will be enrolled in a mandatory full-day workshop sponsored and conducted by DISG, SNDGO, and Google Cloud.

Participating organisations’ AI practitioners and developers will receive hands-on training by Google Cloud engineers to identify use cases that can be addressed using generative AI and build at least one generative AI solution prototype using toolsets from the Innovation Sandbox.

Participating organisations and their AI teams will also have the opportunity to continue collaborating with DISG, SNDGO, and Google Cloud to turn their prototype into a minimum viable product (MVP), and demonstrate their MVPs to a panel of technology experts from MCI, DISG, SNDGO, Google Cloud, as well as other potential government and commercial users in November and December 2023.

The panel will evaluate these MVPs based on design, usability, reliability, functionality, and propensity for real-world application. High potential MVPs will be shortlisted as “Capstone Projects’’ and receive the opportunity to be showcased and recognised at the AI Trailblazers Awards ceremony organised by MCI, DISG, and SNDGO toward the end of the year.

From 24 July to 30 September 2023, DISG, SNDGO, and Google Cloud will run these workshops for up to eight cohorts of participating organisations, with the goal of identifying and addressing 100 generative AI use cases across government and industry within the next 100 days.

Organisations that will be participating in the AI Trailblazers initiative include the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the Public Service Division (PSD), SNDGO, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), American Express, Mastercard, PropertyGuru Group, and Tokopedia.

A public-private partnership for the long term

The AI Trailblazers initiative falls under the first pillar of MCI and Google Cloud’s strategic collaboration: “supercharging AI adoption across public sector and industry.” Further initiatives under the remaining three pillars of this collaboration will be announced in the coming months, including:

  • Building a sustainable pipeline of talent for the future AI economy: MCI and Google Cloud have reaffirmed their commitment toward deepening individuals’ AI knowledge and competencies through skilling programmes targeted at various personas, such as students, career converts, developers, and data scientists. This will enable more organisations in Singapore to acquire the expertise needed to develop and deploy scalable AI solutions.

  • Accelerating the development of home-grown AI startups: DISG and Google Cloud are designing an accelerator programme to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem of best-in-class Singaporebased AI startups. Details of this programme will be announced in Q4 this year.

  • Rooting Singapore’s AI progress in Responsible AI: Google is one of seven premier members of IMDA’s AI Verify Foundation, which was established to harness the collective expertise and contributions of the global open source community to develop AI Verify as a testing tool for the responsible use of AI. Building on this, MCI and Google Cloud will explore further ways to operationalise Responsible AI principles.

Ms Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), said: “Generative AI is a transformative and yet accessible technology which presents a tremendous opportunity to boost our digital economy. The AI Trailblazers initiative will help Singapore-based companies experiment, uncover value, and create novel and meaningful generative AI solutions to deliver better products and services. We look forward to this partnership with Google Cloud, and the impactful applications created from this initiative.”

Mr Karan Bajwa, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Google Cloud, said: “Early movers in Singapore are already leveraging generative AI to better serve and engage with their stakeholders. However, to drive awareness and adoption of this technology—at a scale that transforms an economy and delivers highimpact outcomes for citizens—requires the programmatic and intentional approach that we’re proud to be undertaking in partnership with the Singapore Government. With AI Trailblazers, we’re orchestrating a clear pathway for organisations to quickly, easily, and responsibly develop and deploy their own generative AI solutions with baked-in security and data governance. It is the first of a series of initiatives under our joint four-pronged strategy with MCI, as we look to establish a local AI ecosystem that fundamentally and sustainably positions Singapore as an open and trusted global AI hub.”

About the Ministry of Communications and Information

The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) oversees the development of the infocomm technology, cyber security, and media sectors; the national library, national archives and public libraries; as well as the Government’s information and public communication policies. MCI’s mission is to engage hearts and minds to achieve a thriving digital future for all.

About Digital Industry Singapore

Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) is a joint office between the Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore (ESG), and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), with a vision to create a great technology ecosystem in Singapore that people and companies want to connect with. We tap on our parent agencies’ complementary resources and networks to promote growth in the sector by working closely with global technology leaders and fast-growing local companies and shape policies as well as guide investments in areas such as data, talent, trade, and digital infrastructure. Our mission is to make it easy for technology companies and talent to grow and thrive with Singapore, where they have access to strong digital infrastructure and a vibrant ecosystem of local and global enterprises, from which new products, services, business models, and partnerships are created for Asia and beyond.

About Smart Nation and Digital Government Office

The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), under the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), drives the digital transformation for the public sector, and promotes adoption and participation from the public and industry to take a collective approach in building a Smart Nation. For more information, please visit www.smartnation.gov.sg.

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud accelerates every organisation’s ability to digitally transform its business and industry. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google’s cutting-edge technology, and tools that help developers build more sustainably. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.

For media queries, please contact:

Adam Osman
Senior Manager, Communications and Engagement
Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI)
Email: adam_osman@mci.gov.sg

Theresa Ong
Manager, Brand, Marketing and Communications
Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB)
Email: theresa_ong@edb.gov.sg

Cristiano Peswani
Manager, Adoption and Engagement Directorate
Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO),
Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Singapore
Email: cristiano_peswani@pmo.gov.sg

Nicholas Tan
Head of Communications, Southeast Asia
Google Cloud
Email: nicholastan@google.com / press@google.com