AI Singapore gets new head, Christian Wolfrum

SINGAPORE – Nanyang Technological University’s provost Christian Wolfrum has taken the helm as AI Singapore’s executive chairman from July 1 with new responsibilities of harnessing artificial intelligence for public good and economic benefit.

He has succeeded Ho Teck Hua, who served as founding executive chairman since AI Singapore was established in 2017.

Ho, 65, will continue to serve in his role as NTU president.

Ho has been instrumental in shaping the programme’s strategic direction and advancing Singapore’s AI ambitions, said the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and the National Research Foundation in a joint statement on July 1.

AI Singapore is a national initiative that supports Singapore-based research institutions and AI start-ups in research, tool creation and talent development.

Ho has overseen the expansion of Singapore’s AI research and manpower development efforts, under initiatives such as the AISG PhD Fellowship, 100 Experiments, and the AI Apprenticeship Programme, said the statement.

“AISG has delivered over 300 AI projects and trained close to 500 Singaporean AI engineers, significantly enhancing the ability of Singapore’s companies to operate at the forefront of AI,” said MDDI and NRF.

In particular, Ho strongly advocated for the development of Singapore’s home-grown large-language model Sea-Lion. Sea-Lion, which is able to recognise 13 regional languages such as Malay, Tamil, and Javanese, is already being used by companies such as Indonesia’s GoTo Group and home-grown tech services firm NCS.

In a Facebook post on July 1, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo thanked Ho for his work in building a national AI ecosystem from scratch, describing it as “no easy task”.

“It involves getting researchers, companies, and government agencies to work together, while growing local AI talent along the way,” said Teo.

“He did this well, and in doing so, helped Singapore earn its standing as a trusted and respected partner in the global AI landscape. Many of the capabilities we have today can be traced back to these early efforts.”

She also welcomed Wolfrum to the fray.

Wolfrum, who will continue in his roles as deputy president and provost of NTU, brings significant experience in shaping AI research ecosystems, said MDDI and NRF.

As the former vice-president for research at Swiss university ETH Zurich, the 53-year-old was also closely involved in the establishment of national AI initiatives in Switzerland.

These include the Swiss National AI Institute and Swiss AI Initiative, a project dedicated to developing transparent and trustworthy AI models accessible to researchers, enterprises, and the public sector in Switzerland.

“Prof Wolfrum will work closely with MDDI, NRF, and research ecosystem stakeholders to build on the strong foundations established by Prof Ho, and lead AI Singapore in its next phase of growth,” said the statement.

“This includes advancing Singapore’s priorities under the National AI Strategy 2.0, and strengthening AI Singapore’s role in delivering consequential research and innovation outcomes under the National AI Research and Development Plan, in support of Singapore’s ambition to be a leading global hub for trusted and impactful AI.”

The National AI Strategy 2.0 is Singapore’s AI blueprint first launched in 2019. It was updated in May to include new priorities such as boosting AI research.

Under the updated five-year National AI Research and Development Plan, $1 billion has been committed to public AI research and talent development till the end of 2030.

Describing his new role as an honour, Wolfrum said that AI Singapore’s unique strength lies in its position at the crossroads of academia and industry.

“This is exactly where AI champions are built – companies that embed AI into the core of their products and operations, not as an add-on but as a fundamental capability, backed by a workforce that understands AI deeply enough to build with it,” said Wolfrum.

“Research without industry impact is incomplete, and industry without deep research is short-sighted. Singapore’s AI ecosystem can close that gap, and AI Singapore will be the engine to get there.”

Correction note: An earlier version of this story referred to Nanyang Technological University incorrectly. We are sorry for the error.

Read Full Article At Source