Exploring AI, Digital Growth, and Sustainability | Tech Download
In this edition of Tech Download, discover insights on key updates in the tech landscape, see our top three media mentions for November, and what to look out for in December. Keep reading till the end for a special yearly round-up of SGTech’s achievements in 2023!
Stay in the tech loop! Subscribe to the SGTech e-newsletter and receive our monthly Tech Download directly to your inbox.
Key updates in the tech landscape
Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to dominate conversations going into the final months of 2023, with its applications growing at an unprecedented rate. On 4 December, DPM Lawrence Wong launched Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0, advancing our position in the global tech race.
The renewed strategy lays out 15 courses of action over the next three to five years. Some of these initiatives include tripling the number of AI practitioners to 15,000 to foster local talent, increasing Singapore’s high-performance computing capacity, accelerating enterprise adoption of AI with a digitalisation toolkit, and ensuring a fit-for-purpose regulatory environment.
The overhauled strategy will empower organisations to adopt AI across all aspects of the business, enabling them to tap into a bigger and more skilled AI talent pool, transform their businesses with AI, tap into reinforced data centres, and operate in a digitally trustworthy ecosystem.
Our top three media mentions in November
What to look out for in December
Balancing technology and sustainability
With COP28 concluding recently, the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference put a spotlight on the intersection of technology and climate change, which is critical now more than ever. While AI has undeniably propelled us into an era of unparalleled technological advancements, its rapid growth has come at a substantial environmental cost. The sheer volume of servers required to power AI's data processing has led to a significant surge in water consumption. Microsoft's 34 per cent increase in water consumption from 2021 to 2022 underscores the environmental toll associated with AI implementation, raising concerns about its sustainability.
Despite these challenges, the trajectory points to AI becoming increasingly indispensable. In Singapore, surveys reported that two in five workers incorporate AI into their daily work routines, while over one-third of organisations have already initiated its integration.
Given this inevitability, there is an urgent need to enlighten organisations about the environmental ramifications tied to their reliance on AI. This awareness should prompt organisations to explore and implement small-scale measures that can collectively contribute to mitigating these effects, fostering a sense of responsibility and eco-conscious decision-making. This also serves as encouragement for businesses to innovate for sustainable technology, to meet the needs of our dependencies.
In keen recognition of the crucial link between digitisation and decarbonisation, SGTech has initiated a new study, Global Growth of Digital Economies and Impact on Sustainability: Asia and Pacific Towards 2030, exploring valuable insights into achieving the optimal equilibrium between digital growth and sustainability objectives. The study aims to empower companies to align their business strategies with ever-evolving global trends, as organisations strive to meet net-zero goals. The research will also serve as a valuable resource to policymakers, shedding light on the operating environment and the importance of clear and balanced policies. As technology evolves, striking a balance between innovation and environmental stewardship will be crucial for a sustainable future.
A Year-In-Review with SGTech
领英推荐
As 2023 comes to a close, SGTech would like to capture and celebrate all our initiatives, events, and achievements in this Year-In-Review. From launching groundbreaking initiatives, signing pioneering agreements, and advocating for the tech community, SGTech is proud to be Singapore’s largest tech trade association, connecting companies to drive innovation in our thriving tech ecosystem.
SGTech gathered inputs from more than 400 representatives, resulting in three strategic thrusts:
SGTech collaborates long-term with digitalswitzerland and the Swiss Digital Initiative (SDI) to accelerate impactful tech initiatives, focusing on Digital Trust.
The agreement, a first between the two nations' tech industry associations, encompasses Connection, Knowledge Exchange, and Trust.
Microsoft, IMDA, and SGTech launch Singapore GreenTech Challenge 2023 to accelerate innovative sustainability solutions for Singapore's net-zero goal by 2050. The challenge focuses on three areas aligned with United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.
IMDA and SGTech's fifth Techblazer Awards honour outstanding tech innovations from Singapore-based organisations, including a new category for climate change solutions. The awards highlight creativity in developing and implementing tech products and services.
SGTech's Global Future Series 2023 introduced initiatives to position Singapore as the Global Digital and Data Node. Key efforts include the Digital Trust Centre of Excellence Advisory for global leadership and the DT-SME program to aid SMEs in digital transformation.
SGTech, post-establishing the Digital Trust Centre of Excellence Advisory in October in collaboration with the APEC Business Advisory Council, participated in the APEC Summit in San Francisco. The organisation, in partnership with the Digital & Innovation Working Group, highlighted digital trust's significance in APEC's digital economy frameworks through a panel discussion and roundtable.
Stay in the tech loop! Subscribe to the SGTech e-newsletter and receive our monthly Tech Download directly to your inbox.