Singapore will continue to strengthen safeguards for artificial intelligence (AI) as the technology becomes more capable, with Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo saying safety measures must develop alongside adoption.
Teo said trust was essential for any technology to be regularly relied upon, drawing a comparison with civil aviation, where extensive standards and regulations govern aircraft manufacturing, servicing, airspace and airport management.
“We expect companies in the world of civil aviation to each do their part to train their people properly and implement safeguards consistently,” Teo said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday.
She said AI would similarly need its own safety mechanisms, although these were still taking shape and were far from mature.
“More research and testing is needed. This takes time and commitment,” she said, adding that Singapore must undertake the practical work of building safeguards as AI adoption grows.
This includes developing ways to test and assure AI systems, strengthening technical capabilities to evaluate advanced models and providing organizations with practical guidance on responsible use, Teo said.
She cited initiatives including AI Verify, the Singapore AI Safety Institute and Singapore’s Model AI Governance Frameworks as part of the country’s efforts to develop AI safeguards.
Teo also said international cooperation was necessary because AI safety could not be addressed by any country alone.
The International Scientific Exchange for AI Safety, which brings together perspectives from around the world, had helped identify shared priorities for global AI safety research through the Singapore Consensus, she said.
“We will not have all the answers from the outset. But as AI grows more capable, its safeguards must keep pace,” Teo said.
Singapore will continue to test, learn and strengthen its approach, while working with industry, researchers and international partners to support the use of AI with confidence, she added.