More Public Officers in Singapore Adopt Government Chatbot to Boost Productivity
The use of Pair, a government-developed chatbot, among Singapore’s public officers has doubled since 2024. Currently, about 50,000 officers—roughly one-third of the public service—actively engage with this AI tool for research and writing support, according to Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.
Pair, launched in 2023 by Open Government Products under the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), is a secure adaptation of ChatGPT. It is designed specifically to meet the needs of public officers. As of late 2024, GovTech’s chief technology officer, Chang Sau Sheong, reported that 55,000 officers used Pair, with around half being regular users. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information later updated this figure to about 100,000 users.
Custom Chatbots and Practical AI Solutions
Beyond Pair, public officers have created thousands of experimental chatbots using the AIBots platform, another GovTech initiative. These chatbots address practical challenges such as answering HR questions and guiding users through budget and procurement processes. This hands-on approach allows officers to develop AI solutions tailored to their day-to-day work.
Mrs Teo highlighted that the scope of AI activities in Singapore is growing steadily. The government’s refreshed National AI Strategy in 2023 aims to position Singapore as a hub for AI innovation with impact beyond its borders.
Fostering an AI Community and Partnerships
Singapore’s AI ecosystem is supported by spaces like Lorong AI, a co-working hub launched in January that serves over 200 AI practitioners from government and industry. Located on Cross Street, Lorong AI has hosted more than 40 events in just four months, including workshops and technical sessions led by local experts, global researchers, and companies like OpenAI and AWS.
Promising public-private collaborations are emerging from Lorong AI. One notable project involves developing a tool to assess the reasoning abilities of large language models—AI systems trained on extensive text datasets to generate natural language responses.
In 2026, Singapore will host the Association for the Advancement of AI’s Conference on Artificial Intelligence, a significant event traditionally held in North America. This reflects the country's growing role in the global AI community.
Building AI Talent and Leadership
Recognising that AI will change job roles, Singapore plans to triple its AI workforce from 5,000 to 15,000 practitioners over five years. This growth is supported by training initiatives like the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s TechSkills Accelerator programme.
As part of this effort, 19 senior digital leaders specializing in AI and quantum computing have been named SG Digital Leaders by IMDA to drive local innovation and expertise.
The Singapore Computer Society’s 57th Tech Leader Awards also honoured individuals and teams for their digital innovation. Adjunct Professor Ngiam Kee Yuan, head of the AI office at the National University Health System, received the Tech Leader of the Year award for developing AI platforms that improve healthcare AI deployment.
Looking forward, the Singapore Computer Society will launch a quantum technologies special interest group in July, aimed at fostering collaboration across academia, industry, and government in this emerging field.
For public officers interested in expanding their AI skills and knowledge, exploring targeted courses and certifications can provide practical benefits. Resources such as Complete AI Training's courses by job role offer focused learning paths to support your professional growth in AI technologies.
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