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Written by: Martin Dale Bolima, Tech Journalist, AOPG.

It just had to be Singapore.

Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) trailblazer OpenAI, which launched ChatGPT in 2022, will soon be opening an office in The Lion City, long considered the technological hub of Southeast Asia.

Singapore is also shaping up to be the fulcrum of AI in the region, with initiatives like the Digital Enterprise Blueprint, launched earlier this year, which aims to accelerate digital transformation and empower the country with emerging technologies such as AI, and AI Singapore, a national programme launched by the National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore, to catalyse, synergise, and boost Singapore’s AI capabilities.

Singapore is also at the forefront of developing the first large language model in the Southeast Asian context, collaborating with IBM on the testing of the pioneering SEA-LION in an ambitious bid to democratise AI and foster an inclusive AI environment for ASEAN nations.

Singapore Just Made Perfect Sense for OpenAI

It should come as no surprise then that OpenAI, largely credited for bringing generative AI into the limelight, has chosen Singapore to be the location of its second office in Asia.

The Singapore office, which is slated to open later in the year, will be the company’s fourth internationally, with the other three in Dublin, Ireland; London, Great Britain; and Tokyo, Japan. It will aim to drive regional collaboration, support the AI initiatives of Singaporean businesses and the government, and work with AI Singapore to train generative AI models on the cultures and languages of Southeast Asia, as is being done with SEA-LION.

“Singapore, with its rich history of technology leadership, has emerged as a leader in AI, recognising its potential to solve some of society’s hardest problems and advance economic prosperity,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, whose world tour last year included a visit to Singapore in June 2023. “We’re excited to partner with the [Singaporean] government and the country’s thriving AI ecosystem as we expand into the APAC region.”

In a statement, OpenAI noted that Singapore has among the highest-per-capita users of ChatGPT in the world and that the company’s plans “reflect Singapore’s leadership position in technology and AI, as well as the growing demand for advanced AI tools across APAC. Indeed, generative AI is widely used in The Lion City, and if a recent Salesforce study is any indication, the use of this technology is only going to grow in the coming years as 87 per cent of Singapore C-suite executives include generative AI in their top three business priorities.

Bringing Best-in-Class AI Closer to Innovators

OpenAI added that its soon-to-open office in Singapore “brings OpenAI closer to innovative local companies”—with Grab in Singapore and Canva in Australia among the notables. These companies, according to the San Francisco-headquartered firm, are “using OpenAI’s advanced AI products to power new tools and features for their customers,” and having the AI trailblazer nearby is only going to help these innovators make the most of their AI initiatives.

OpenAI also aims to make advanced AI more accessible to relevant stakeholders—governments, businesses, and national institutions—in Southeast Asia while also allotting up to USD $1 million to train AI models that are attuned to the region’s languages and cultures. To realise these goals, OpenAI said it plans to hire local talent for roles in sales and security and solutions engineering, among others, as it looks to establish a strong presence in Singapore and, by extension, in Southeast Asia.

According to reports, former Asana Chief Revenue Officer Oliver Jay will be on board to serve as the managing director of OpenAI, which is also planning collaborations with Singapore’s government partners, including the Economic Development Board (EDB) and AI Singapore.

Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director at EDB, believes the opening of an OpenAI office in Singapore is a testament to the country’s burgeoning AI ecosystem marked by high demand from businesses, increasing investments, and blossoming talent. It will also lead to new collaborations with stakeholders in different sectors.

Incidentally, OpenAI’s expansion to Southeast Asia comes on the heels of its alleged plan to become a for-profit company apart from its nonprofit board to possibly open the startup to big investors and capitalise financially on its standing as an AI leader. The move is seen by some as potentially problematic in terms of managing AI risks and ensuring ethical AI use. Whether that would be an issue once OpenAI enters Singapore formally is anybody’s guess, but for the moment, it appears it is all systems go for the renowned startup to take its act to the city-state.

In fact, OpenAI is set to host a Developer Day in Singapore next month, November 21, to gather the region’s top developers and startups.

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