AI bilingualism becoming increasingly vital across Singapore’s industries: IMDA chief
SINGAPORE: “AI bilingualism” – the ability to combine artificial intelligence skills with industry expertise – is becoming increasingly important as AI adoption accelerates across the economy, said the head of Singapore's digital watchdog. Speaking to CNA ahead of this year’s ATxSummit, which begin on Wednesday (May 20), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)’s chief executive Ng Cher Pong said demand for tech capabilities is no longer concentrated within the technology sector itself. In fact, tech roles in non-tech industries are growing three to four times faster than those within the tech sector, underscoring the growing need for workers across the nation to become fluent in AI tools and applications, he noted. "We believe that the value that will be created is when we combine AI skills with domain expertise. Broadly, that's called AI bilingualism,” Mr Ng said. His comments come as Singapore ramps up efforts to position itself as a regional AI hub while ensuring workers and businesses are equipped to adapt to rapid technological change. FROM THEORY TO IMPLEMENTATION For the past six years, the ATxSummit has served as one of Asia’s flagship technology events, bringing together policymakers, business leaders and researchers. Organisers say this year’s edition, which runs until Friday at Singapore Expo, will focus on shifting from theoretical discussions about AI towards practical implementation and governance. “We’re in a period of extraordinary change,” said Mr Ng. “For Asia, this presents tremendous opportunity for us to adopt and scale AI, but at the same time, this must really be underpinned by responsible use of AI, governance, ethics, standards and safety.” Singapore hopes to play more than just a hosting role at the summit, positioning itself to help shape global conversations around AI guardrails. Mr Ng pointed to Singapore’s Model Governance Framework for Agentic AI, introduced in January this year, as part of the country’s efforts to shape international standards and best practices around emerging AI systems. “We can clearly play a role as a convener, bringing people together (and) adding some value to the table,” he said. Topics expected to dominate this year’s summit include agentic AI, or systems capable of acting autonomously; embodied AI, where AI systems are integrated into physical devices; and broader issues surrounding governance and regulation. ADOPTION MUST REACH ALL SECTORS Beyond international discussions, Singapore is also focused on ensuring AI adoption reaches businesses and workers across the economy. Mr Ng said the country’s national AI strategy is centred around four key areas: healthcare, finance, advanced manufacturing and connectivity. However, he stressed that the benefits of AI must extend well beyond those industries. “We want to make sure that the benefits of AI are spread across all sectors, that's why there's a big push on AI adoption and diffusion across the economy, across companies of different sizes, including SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises),” he said. A major part of IMDA’s work is centred on workforce transformation, as firms increasingly integrate AI into daily operations and workflows, noted Mr Ng. “We need to make sure that the workforce has sufficient level of AI skills, so that as companies transform, they are able to productively use AI tools at the workplace,” he added. BUILDING AN ‘AI-BILINGUAL’ WORKFORCE To support that transition, IMDA is working with professional bodies and firms to roll out sector-specific AI fluency programmes. The first wave will focus on legal and accounting professionals, before expanding to other industries. “We’ve been very focused, working sector by sector, to help enable non-tech professionals acquire AI skills,” Mr Ng said. The programmes are currently being developed in consultation with industry stakeholders to ensure the curriculum remains practical and tailored to the needs of each profession. "We are still at the stage of engaging with the professional bodies,” the IMDA CEO said. “We want to make sure that the programmes … which will be rolled out quite quickly over the next few months … equip workers with the skills that are relevant for their specific sectors.” At the same time, IMDA is also looking at programmes targeted at tech workers, many of whom will need to continuously upgrade their capabilities as AI technologies evolve rapidly. “For the tech workers, we recognise that the pace of change will be very rapid. So, unlike other training programmes, the curriculum needs to be regularly updated and refreshed,” Mr Ng said. He added that workers would also need ongoing post-training support as AI tools and systems evolve. Related: As AI use grows, experts warn of risks to mental health and relationships Commentary: AI alone cannot shorten the work week