American artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI announced its expansion into Singapore, confirming plans to open a regional office later this year.
This move underscores Singapore’s prominent role in technology and AI, as well as the increasing demand for advanced AI tools across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, OpenAI stated.
Singapore ranks among the highest per capita users of OpenAI’s ChatGPT globally, with weekly active users in the country doubling since the start of the year, according to the company.
To support this growth, OpenAI is establishing a team in Singapore to serve as a hub for customers and partners throughout APAC, aiming to strengthen ties with local and regional governments, businesses, and institutions.
“Singapore, with its rich history of technology leadership, has emerged as a leader in artificial intelligence, recognizing its potential to solve some of society’s hardest problems and advance economic prosperity,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “We’re excited to partner with the government and the country’s thriving AI ecosystem as we expand into the APAC region.”
The new Singapore base will facilitate closer collaboration with government partners like the Economic Development Board (EDB) to support the local AI ecosystem and shape an AI-driven future.
Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director of Singapore’s Economic Development Board, welcomed the expansion, highlighting Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0 and government investments in AI talent and infrastructure.
In addition to establishing its presence, OpenAI announced a partnership with AI Singapore to enhance AI accessibility across Southeast Asia.
The collaboration includes a commitment of up to $1 million to develop resources and open datasets tailored to the region’s diverse languages and cultures.
Dr. Leslie Teo, Senior Director of AI Products at AI Singapore, praised the partnership for boosting Southeast Asian representation in global AI models.
OpenAI also revealed plans to host its first Developer Day in Singapore on November 21, 2024, aiming to engage the region’s developers and startups.
The company has appointed Oliver Jay as Managing Director for International, based in Singapore, to oversee its global expansion efforts.
Establishing a regional presence will bring OpenAI closer to innovative local firms such as Singapore’s Grab and Australia’s Canva, which leverage OpenAI’s advanced AI products to develop new tools and features for their users.