Singapore announces world's first Watson adoption in the government sector

The Singapore government and IBM have announced a partnership to improve accessibility to government information by tapping on IBM Watson to deliver better, more personalised services on government policies and services.

The world's first Watson adoption in the public sector supports the Singapore government's mission of enhancing government-citizen interactions and community engagement. By providing government agencies with insights about the concerns of constituents, Watson will enable better decision-making and more responsive operations. This will in turn lead to improved government services and better citizen engagement in community programmes.

In the first phase of the initiative, which is government-wide, the government will team with IBM to train the Watson-enabled natural language solution in the areas of personal income tax, employment and work passes, as well as workplace health and safety.

When the pilot project goes live next year, users will be able to access government websites with self-service applications and gain more specific answers to their questions more quickly.

Watson can recognise the intent behind requests, allowing government employees or end users in self service cases to better navigate government services, uncover specific needs, and provide more personalised advice. As the Watson application learns, it will allow government agencies to better understand the priorities of their constituents.

"The Singapore government is constantly seeking ways to improve its service delivery and how it engages with the public. We hope the collaboration withIBM to tap on their leading Watson technology will bring about a transformative change in how the government can better interact with citizens and adddress their needs," said Lim Soo Hoon, Permanent Secretary for Finance and Performance, Ministry of Finance in Singapore.

“As Singapore is transforming itself into a smarter city and a global city of excellence, IBM is proud to be supporting the Government in providing improved public services through Watson that empowers the citizens with faster and better insights. This initiative will act as a catalyst for other countries, who share a common vision of improving how we work and live on this smarter planet,” said Janet Ang, MD, IBM Singapore.