France, Singapore adopt roadmap to deeper AI cooperation

MINISTERS too watch Black Mirror. Then they turn off the TV and think about ways to shape technologies for the common good. This is why, on Monday, Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran and his French counterpart, Minister of State Cédric O, adopted a roadmap for deepening cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI). This roadmap is deliberately ambitious and practical as it covers the full spectrum of AI, from research cooperation, to development of use cases with the private sector, and to promotion of a shared governance framework among governments.

AI sits very high on the agenda of both countries. Singapore launched its Smart Nation initiative in November 2015, and published its National AI Strategy in November 2019. France adopted its own strategy in March 2018, and set aside 1.5 billion euros (S$2.4 billion) to invest in AI within five years, in synergy with a vibrant business community (French Tech, France Digitale, Hub France IA etc). France's recent recovery plan allocates 2.5 billion euros for digital technologies, including an "AI booster" for small and medium-size enterprises.

Through a cross-disciplinary approach based on computer science, mathematics, engineering and humanities, Singapore and France are looking to jointly develop ambitious projects to drive AI deployment.