AI in higher education: New committee in Singapore

However, the rapid rise of AI marks a “major technological shift” that brings both opportunities and risks, he said.

AI excels in “horizontal” capabilities, or general tasks like summarising information, while “vertical” capabilities involve deep, domain-specific expertise and real-world judgment, said Mr Lee.

“We must equip students not just with the ability to use ‘horizontal’ AI tools, but with the depth of knowledge and judgment to use them well in ‘vertical’ applications that will be true game changers,” he added.

These abilities will be built gradually from primary school to the IHL level, and will “fundamentally reshape the classroom and campus” into spaces for active questioning, problem solving, teamwork and continuous learning, said Mr Lee.

AI will be introduced only at the Primary 4 level, under close supervision and “low exposure”, he said, with priority given to learning the fundamentals.

Later on, AI usage will increase, with such tools functioning like a teacher – prompting students to think and asking them questions – rather than spoon-feeding answers or giving lazy shortcuts.

At the IHL level, students must both make use of AI and deepen independent thinking, said Mr Lee.

This vision requires a rethink of how educators teach and do their work, he added, with such efforts already in place across Singapore’s campuses.

At the National University of Singapore, AI is used to drive productivity by freeing up educators from repetitive tasks, Mr Lee said, citing an AI tool used to grade English competency tests for 3,000 students annually.

This tool has saved over 100 man-days of work while maintaining 95 per cent accuracy, he added.

Similarly, staff at the ITE are using AI tools to generate initial drafts of teaching materials, which they then customise for their students’ specific needs, Mr Lee said.

The five polytechnics have started a joint project using AI analytics to identify at-risk or underperforming students early, allowing for more timely intervention, he said.

At the Singapore University of Social Sciences, an adaptive learning system flags individual learning gaps and provides real-time feedback and hints to help learners level up.

Meanwhile, students must also be equipped to apply AI meaningfully within their disciplines, said Mr Lee, while strengthening “uniquely human abilities” such as critical thinking and cross-cultural understanding that AI cannot replicate.

He cited examples from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, where master’s degree students used custom-built AI agents to translate urban planning ideas into instantaneous visuals and provide technical feedback.

At SMU, students in a “Storytelling with AI” course created marketing videos that have impressed industry representatives.

Equipping students with skills continues after graduation and throughout their careers, said Mr Lee, adding that a new tool developed by SkillsFuture Singapore and the Singapore Institute of Technology is meant to help individuals assess their AI readiness and find suitable courses.

From the second half of 2026, all IHLs will offer selected AI-related courses at significant discounts for their alumni for a period of one year, he added.

“If we treat AI as a shortcut to simply bypass thinking, we will diminish the very purpose of education,” Mr Lee said.

“But if we treat AI as a catalyst tool, a powerful tool to sharpen what truly matters in education, it can strengthen our IHLs and our people.”