It also reflects a broader shift. Global AI leaders are moving closer to emerging centres of growth in Asia-Pacific and tailoring their solutions for local languages, industries and regulations. This is giving rise to regional AI hubs—Mr Jay identifies markets like Singapore, Seoul, New Delhi and Sydney—that bring frontier firms closer to developers, customers, researchers and policymakers.
From experimentation to execution
Singapore’s market access and predictable regulatory environment may have been the initial attractions for tech firms, but the city-state is increasingly viewed as a pivotal centre for technological innovation and commercialisation.
Legacy firms and startups alike have set up research and product development operations in Singapore. Alphabet, Microsoft and Nvidia are all collaborating with the country’s first-rate academic and research institutions to lay the foundations for frontier research into AI and cultivate a new generation of tech talent.