Like the double helix of DNA, innovation and economic productivity are complementary and inextricably linked. Crucial technological developments such as the steam engine and the internet preceded the Industrial Revolutions of the past, and the same might be said of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is unravelling in the present. Fundamentally, innovation brings new tools to bear for industries to enhance their productivity. In the latest expansion of the toolkit, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming one of the most sought-after technologies by companies around the world. According to a Gartner report, the number of enterprises actively pursuing AI implementation grew by 270 percent in the last four years.

New centre aspires to be an international think-tank that promotes inter-disciplinary research into the interactions between technology and the law. The new Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & the Law (TRAIL), a research unit under the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law (NUS Law), was launched today by Mr Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State for Law and Health, at the 8th Asian Privacy Scholars Network (APSN) Conference. Leveraging NUS Law's preeminent position amongst the top law schools in the world, TRAIL aspires to be an international think-tank that enables inter-disciplinary communities to research into legal, ethical, policy, philosophical and regulatory questions associated with the use and development of information technology (IT), artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and robotics in the practice of law. The Centre plans to conduct research into the interactions between technology and the law in a more integrated and holistic manner. TRAIL also aims to provide a forum for legal and non-legal scholars interested in various aspects of technology law, to collaborate and advance inter-disciplinary research.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Heng Swee Keat, announced today that Singapore will embark on a plan to develop and use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform Singapore's economy and improve the lives of citizens. This plan is outlined in the National AI Strategy document that was unveiled at the SFF X SWITCH (Singapore FinTech Festival and Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology) Conference. The National AI Strategy is key to the next stage of our Smart Nation journey. The key approach is to adopt a human-centric approach, and focus on delivering tangible benefits to citizens and businesses through AI. In line with this, we have identified five National AI Projects for a start, to use AI technologies to address key national challenges and deliver impactful social and/or economic benefits to Singaporeans.

Here is the list of the top 20 cities. The AI Readiness Index was created by the Oliver Wyman Forum to serve as a metric of the capability of a city to thrive and adapt once the age of AI comes. The global research covers 105 cities all over the globe. Apart from managing the vital aspects of city life and health, Oliver Wyman Forum also emphasizes the importance of moving forward in these vectors for a city to be fully prepared for the changes AI tech will bring. Singapore was ranked the highest for this year's report, gaining an overall score of 75.8.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released a report detailing the ten "world-changing technologies that are poised to rattle the status quo." Let's see for ourselves what these technologies have to offer. Some developments in the bioplastics industry allow lignin, a component of wood, to be broken down into its simpler components using engineered solvents. With this possible, plastics can then be made from it. Lignin is found in wood waste and agricultural byproducts which otherwise doesn't have any other function.

SWITZERLAND, GENEVA – Singapore announced that its work in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance and Ethics has won a top award at the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes1. The winners of the 18 categories2 of the WSIS Prizes were announced today during an award ceremony at the annual WSIS Forum held in Geneva, Switzerland. Singapore won in the "Ethical Dimensions of the Information Society" category, beating four other finalists3 across the globe. Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) Assistant Chief Executive (Data Protection and Innovation) Yeong Zee Kin received the prize at the ceremony in Geneva. Singapore's AI Governance and Ethics initiatives aim to build an ecosystem of trust to support AI adoption. These initiatives advance Singapore's vision to be a leading Digital Economy and Smart Nation through balancing business innovation and consumer trust and confidence in adopting AI.