S'pore plugged into global conversations on Al, amid governance issues

Even as countries have different views on how guard rails should be set around artificial intelligence (AI), Singapore's approach has been to remain plugged into conversations, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.

- Lee Li Ying

Some countries may not feel so comfortable about how AI governance is progressing, but that does not mean that Singapore disengages completely, said Mrs Teo, speaking to Singapore media from San Francisco via teleconference on Sept 29. “It will be many years before we land on a set of norms that we all agree are the right things to do,” she said.

Mrs Teo is in the US from Sept 24 to 30, during which she attended the UN High-level Multi-stakeholder Informal Meeting to Launch the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance in New York.

The meeting on Sept 25 brought together 193 member states for the first time to discuss how AI can be inclusive and accountable.

The member states unanimously agreed to establish a forum to bridge states, industry and civil society on Al oversight, as well as an independent 40-member panel to provide evidence-based assessments on Al's opportunities, risks and impact.

Mrs Teo was responding to what took place at the UN Security Council meeting on Sept 24, when the US clashed with world leaders over how AI should be governed.

While many nations pushed for new collaborative frameworks, the US rejected the role of the UN in centralised, global oversight.

Mrs Teo said AI governance is an area that is still being developed, and Singapore must stay connected to developments.