Filtered by: Artificial Intelligence
Tech in Asia reported on NUS School of Computing's collaboration with OpenAI to integrate Codex and other tools from OpenAI's enterprise platform into its undergraduate curriculum – giving students hands-on experience with AI-assisted development in secure educational environments.
The tools will be progressively incorporated into over 30 undergraduate courses spanning software engineering, systems, and capstone projects. Beyond the classroom, students will participate in workshops, hackathons, and build days organised with OpenAI and other industry partners.
At its core, the collaboration is about equipping graduates with practical fluency in AI-assisted development while keeping computing fundamentals like algorithms, systems thinking, and problem-solving firmly at the centre.
Channel 8's current affairs programme, Hello Singapore, featured Professor Anthony Tung from the Department of Computer Science in a panel discussion on how Singapore can hold its ground in the age of AI – alongside Minister of State for Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and Education, Jasmin Lau, and a media professional.
On the most essential AI skill, Prof Tung kept it simple: Learn to ask better questions. Where most of us are trained to find answers, he argued that the real shift is learning to prompt, to engage AI in a genuine dialogue.
"You can ask AI to introduce 10 useful prompts for your personal use. AI can then customise a learning plan for you – learn to have a dialogue with it, as if it were a real teacher."
Asked which AI initiative Singaporeans should pay closest attention to, Prof Tung pointed to Singapore's AI Mission. His reasoning was that progress with AI is not about speed, but about direction.
"Learning or using AI isn't about being slow – it's about not standing still. Set a goal, and keep moving forward."
On raising kids in the era of AI, Prof Tung drew on classical Chinese philosophy to make his point. He invoked the Zhuangzi principle of 物物而不物于物 – that one should master things, not be mastered by them. In his view, the humanities are not a retreat from technology; they are its counterweight. "AI is a tool. We set goals, let it work for us, and don't let it replace us." That is why, he added, he places emphasis on culture, philosophy, and human thinking in his daughter's upbringing – qualities that remain stubbornly beyond what any algorithm can replicate.
For students anxious about graduating into an AI-transformed job market, his counsel was steadying: cultivate curiosity, not anxiety.
"You set a goal, enjoy the process, and have an experience of self-driven growth. When a new challenge comes, it's a chance to learn something new."
Associate Professor Suranga Nanayakkara from NUS Computing was featured in The Straits Times for his work on an AI-powered wearable headset developed by an NUS research team led by him, aimed at supporting independent navigation and daily activities for persons who are visually impaired.
The article highlighted the experience of Madam Teresa Ng, who shared how the headset could help her commute, shop, and navigate public spaces with greater confidence and independence, reducing the need to rely on assistance from others.
"It could tell me the price, size, colour, and even describe the kin of occasion each outfit is suitable for – very useful. Sometimes when I go grocery shopping, I have to ask the promoters for help and later feel obligated to buy from them. But with AiSee, I won't have to trouble anyone."
The wearable headset, AiSee, uses AI to interpret the surrounding environment and provide real-time audio guidance, helping users navigate public transport, avoid obstacles, and move safely through complex everyday settings. The system is designed to improve mobility and autonomy while preserving users' dignity.
Associate Professor Nanayakkara explained that the project was developed with a strong human-centred focus, emphasising usability, real-world impact and close collaboration with visually impaired users to ensure the technology addresses practical needs rather than laboratory assumptions.
Funded by the Enabling Lives Initiative (ELI) Grant in November 2025, the team is enhancing the AiSee software with onboard object detection, navigation, expert guidance, scene sonification, and task-based functionalities, including pilot testing at the Singapore Botanic Gardens to guide users on curated tours. The ELI Grant, funded by Tote Board and managed by SG Enable, is a strategic fund that catalyses and supports innovations to improve the independence and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
This coverage highlighted the potential of assistive AI to enhance inclusion and accessibility, while recognising the importance of careful design, testing and deployment in complex real-world environments.
On THE (Times Higher Education) Connect podcast, Professor Tulika Mitra, Dean of NUS Computing and Associate Professor Suranga Nanayakkara discussed how SoC is adapting its education and research agenda for an AI-enabled world - while keeping computing fundamentals at the core. They outlined how the refreshed curriculum builds “AI-native” capabilities (including exposure to LLMs, system design and AI safety), with AI ethics as a compulsory component for all computing students, alongside new and upcoming AI-focused programmes.
The conversation also highlighted SoC’s commitment to interdisciplinary, human-centred research through platforms such as the NUS Artificial Intelligence Institute, and partnerships with government and industry to ensure AI innovation remains socially responsible. Both speakers emphasised lifelong learning through stackable, modular pathways, and the School’s goal of developing graduates who pair technical excellence with ethics, empathy and adaptability.
On The Business Times' Thrive, Associate Professor Sharon Tan, contributed insights to an article examining whether a tech degree remains valuable in an AI-driven economy. She highlighted that strong computing fundamentals remain essential, even – and especially – in an age of AI. While AI can automate routine tasks, it cannot replace the human judgement, creativity, and critical thinking needed to design reliable, responsible, and impactful systems. Graduates who pair deep technical grounding with the ability to work confidently and thoughtfully with AI will continue to stand out in a fast-evolving industry.
