Singapore’s “AI for the Public Good” Strategy: Advancing from Opportunity to Necessity

Abstract:

Singapore’s 2023 update to its national artificial intelligence strategy (Singapore National AI Strategy 2.0 – “<span class="news-text_medium">NAIS 2.0</span>”) presents a forward-looking roadmap that shifts the country’s focus from exploring AI opportunities to embedding AI as a necessity. With the vision of “AI for the Public Good, for Singapore and the World,” the strategy seeks to build national excellence while empowering individuals and organisations to use AI with trust and discernment. It is structured around three pivotal transitions—opportunity to necessity; local to global; projects to systems—and will be delivered via three systems and ten enabling pillars across 15 targeted actions over the next three to five years.

In its mission to lead globally in technology and innovation, Singapore has updated its national AI policy with NAIS 2.0, launched in 2023. The strategy marks a deliberate shift from treating AI as a “good-to-have” capability towards viewing it as an essential component of the economy, society and governance framework.

At the heart of NAIS 2.0 is the tagline: “AI for the Public Good, for Singapore and the World.” Two concurrent goals form the foundation of this vision:

• <span class="news-text_medium">Excellence</span> – developing strategic areas of AI leadership to advance the field and drive value creation.
• <span class="news-text_medium">Empowerment</span> – enabling citizens, businesses and communities to engage with AI confidently, understanding its benefits and risks.

To deliver on these goals, Singapore has defined three key transitions:

1. <span class="news-text_medium">From Opportunity to Necessity</span> – recognising that AI must be understood and used by more people, not just the technologists.
2. <span class="news-text_medium">From Local to Global</span> – expanding the country’s outlook to harness international collaboration, research and resource pooling.
3. <span class="news-text_medium">From Projects to Systems</span> – moving beyond isolated initiatives towards scalable, systematic AI deployment embedded across sectors.

Implementation is structured across three systems and ten enablers, supported by 15 specific actions to be reviewed and updated in line with fast-moving developments in AI.

Singapore has already seen significant progress since its first AI strategy in 2019, with approximately 150 dedicated AI research teams and 900 startups engaging in new AI-driven solutions. The updated strategy builds on this momentum to embed AI deeper across the economy - from smart city infrastructure to industry productivity - and from public sector innovation to global collaboration.

The policy places strong emphasis on governance, trust and human-centred AI. Singapore acknowledges that successful adoption involves more than technology - it requires transparent decision-making, data ethics, inclusive access and continuous capability-building.

For organisations and practitioners in Singapore and the region, NAIS 2.0 offers a strategic framework signalling that AI is no longer optional but foundational. The focus now is on systems, scale and global relevance — a signal that Singapore intends to remain at the forefront of AI innovation and responsible deployment.