EDB-NVIDIA Future Talents Program to develop AI talent in Singapore, new AI Lab set up at SUTD

Chng delivers his keynote at the NVIDIA AI Conference.

NVIDIA has launched the EDB-NVIDIA Future Talents Program, under which NVIDIA and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) will develop and train a pool of strong AI talent in Singapore.

Under the programme, 30 postgraduate scholarships will be awarded to citizens or permanent residents of Singapore to study neural networks, machine learning and architecture development for graphics processing units (GPUs). Together with local universities, NVIDIA will mentor the Master’s and Ph.D. candidates to develop AI skills that address industry-specific needs. Participants will have the opportunity to work with companies on real-world AI problems.

Chng Kai Fong, MD, EDB, who was guest of honour at NVIDIA's AI Conference in Singapore, shared the announcement during his keynote speech. He said that Singapore aims to build an AI ecosystem, encourage widespread adoption of AI solutions, and nurture an AI-ready workforce.

"Singapore supports mass adoption of AI across businesses and among our citizens. AI can grow our economy and improve our productivity," Chng said, pointing out that the government's industry transformation maps, which cover 80% of the local economy, all depend on digitalisation and AI.

“Electronics enables the adoption of AI in applications such as autonomous vehicles, advanced manufacturing, and fintech,” he said. “Singapore’s strong electronics ecosystem brings us closer to our vision to be a Smart Nation. The EDB-NVIDIA Future Talents Program will help us to build the next generation of AI talent in Singapore, and strengthen our position as a hub for AI development and adoption.”

In conjunction with the Future Talents Program, NVIDIA will establish an AI Lab at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). “Through the scholarships and the establishment of the AI Lab in SUTD, NVIDIA hopes to nurture AI talent that can help Singapore with its Smart Nation initiatives. Our GPUs are transforming industries across the world and we believe that we can help Singapore transform and advance with deep learning,” said Raymond Teh, VP, APAC Sales and Marketing, NVIDIA.

"We are doing our best, working with every company that we can, to try to groom our workforce to be AI-ready," noted Chng in his keynote. "We want to develop homegrown AI talent in Singapore."

Chng ended his keynote by citing Apple founder Steve Jobs's quote that computers are like bicycles for the mind, transporting us much farther than we can go by ourselves. "The application of AI is the next-generation bicycle of the mind – it will unlock apps and amplify our strengths so we can thrive at work and live well at home," he said.

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) is a government agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry that is responsible for strategies that enhance Singapore’s position as a global centre for business, innovation, and talent.

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