Experts: Top-down coordination of AI deployment to deliver tangible benefits
Lianhe Zaobao reported on the Government’s AI initiatives announced in Budget 2026, including the establishment of a National AI Council chaired by the Prime Minister and the prioritisation of four sectors for AI transformation.
Professor Anthony Tung from the Department of Computer Science noted that AI has moved beyond the remit of individual agencies and now requires coordinated, high-level alignment across sectors.
"AI has already gone beyond individual institutions. Policy planning and resource allocation need to be coordinated at a high level, covering areas such as economic structure, employment patterns, social governance, public services, and national security."
The article highlighted four priority areas – advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare – for early AI transformation. Prof Tung explained why sector-specific systems are essential:
"Advanced manufacturing is an important pillar of Singapore’s economy. What is needed are precise and stable systems, not general-purpose AI models."