2019: the milestones

January 2019

- Alibaba Group launches A100, a partnership programme that connects companies to Alibaba businesses across multiple functions and platforms.

- BT's new office in Singapore is opened by Jeremy Hunt, British Foreign Secretary.

- CenturyLink opens its 8th global security operations centre in Singapore.

- The Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1, the world’s smallest commercial 14” 2-in-1 targeting up to 24 hours of battery life. This is its first to feature a PC proximity sensor enabled by Intel Context Sensing Technology.

- GOJEK soft-launches in Singapore.

- The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Enterprise Singapore launched Start Digital, an initiative of the SMEs Go Digital programme.

- IMDA, Singtel and DBS rolled out a new 99%SME e-commerce platform (99sme.sg) that aims to help SMEs in Singapore adopt digital technologies.

- The new Data Protection Trustmark certification, developed by the Singapore Personal Data Protection Commission and launched by IMDA, provides assurance that a brand can protect consumers' personal data.

- Intel announces Project Athena, a multiyear innovation programme to better laptops. In October, Samsung announced three laptops, co-engineered with Intel - two support Project Athena, while the third is based on an Intel processor codenamed Lakefield.

- Microsoft announced the general availability of Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, and Surface Studio 2 in Singapore.

- Singapore introduced a governance framework for artificial intelligence (AI). while Smart Dubai outlines ethical standards for AI systems.

- Trend Micro's Singapore office is opened as the HQ for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.

February 2019

- AMD announced the availability of the world’s first 7 nm gaming graphics card, the Radeon VII.

- Cisco to build virtualised 5G-ready mobile network with Rakuten Mobile Network.

- Ericsson expands 5G portfolio.

- Microsoft announces the HoloLens 2 intelligent edge device.

- The Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) rolls out Digital Defence to Singapore's Total Defence framework. Two cyber expert schemes are introduced. The ministry also opened the Cyber Defence School (CDS).

- Singtel launches AI-powered IoT network on Azure.

Source: Singtel. Singtel engineers in Singapore use a OPPO 5G test device during a 5G AR video call with an Optus counterpart in Sydney, Australia. 

- Singtel, Optus and Ericsson work together to place a 4G video call with augmented reality between Singapore and Australia.

March 2019

- Batelco launches 5G in Bahrain with Ericsson.

- Dell EMC, NVIDIA offer DGX reference architecture.

- The Huawei P30 Series of mobile phones is launched.

- NVIDIA and partners roll out workstations designed for data science. The company also introduced new RTX servers for entertainment applications.

- Plantronics is now Poly.

- Public Sector Data Security Review Committee set up in Singapore.

- SAS announces US$1 billion investment in AI.

- Singtel's GOMO mobile plan is targeted at Millennials.

- Tata Consultancy Services announces that it is developing solutions to drive adoption of Blockchain. 
 
April 2019

- Huawei is investing further in Singapore with HUAWEI CLOUD and a Cloud & AI Innovation Lab.

May 2019

- ANA and Panasonic test self-driving electric wheelchairs at Narita Airport in Japan.

- Huawei brings its laptops to Singapore.

- At Computex 2019, Intel demonstrated a new concept codenamed Honeycomb Glacier that features an integrated companion display for more screen real estate in a laptop clamshell form factor. Watch the video

- Intel also launched its first volume 10 nm mobile processor — codenamed Ice Lake — with built-in artificial intelligence and double the graphics capabilities.

- VMware empowers Southeast Asian organisations with new wave of product enhancements, approaches and partnerships.

June 2019

- The Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) announce the first comprehensive Trusted Data Sharing Framework to facilitate trusted data sharing between organisations.

- Malaysia's Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali is implicated in a raunchy video which goes viral.

pic.twitter.com/8uJKBQTZ0o

— deepnudeapp (@deepnudeapp) June 27, 2019

- Women's pictures are doctored using the DeepNude app to make them appear as if they had no clothes on.

September 2019

- Baidu, Inspur launch world's first Open Accelerator Infrastructure-compliant product; Inspr also introduces the first 21” reference system supporting the OAI Universal BaseBoard (UBB) specification

October 2019

- ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence set up.

- Google announces that its quantum computing processor, Sycamore, completed a calculation that traditional computers are unable to do. IBM disagrees.

- Hitachi Vantara expands Lumada portfolio

- National AI Office set up under the umbrella of Singapore's Smart Nation and Digital Government Office.

November 2019

- Intel introduces Nervana Neural Network Processors for training and inference. The processors are designed to accelerate artificial intelligence system development and deployment from cloud to edge.

- Intel oneAPI, announced in June, is a new programming model that will simplify the work of application developers across diverse hardware architectures. An open oneAPI industry initiative, encouraging collaboration on the oneAPI specification and compatible oneAPI implementations across the ecosystem, has 30 members.

- IonQ and Microsoft announce Azure Quantum, a full-stack, open cloud ecosystem that will make IonQ’s quantum computers, based on trapped ions, commercially available via the Azure cloud service.

- NVIDIA tops AI inference benchmarks

- NVIDIA introduces its smallest-ever supercomputer for AI

- Singapore launches National AI Strategy

December 2019

- Global Esports Federation launched, to be based in Singapore.

- LINE Pay Taiwan forms cross-border mobile payment alliance

- NVIDIA introduces TensorRT 7, which will make AI-backed conversations possible

- Singapore's Personal Data Protection Commission lists instances where penalties were exacted for failing to comply with the Personal Data Protection Act. Seven organisations were cited in December alone.

*This list of milestones are not meant to be comprehensive or exhaustive. They serve as a background to the comments below.

Artificial intelligence

"2019 marks the launch of Asia’s first AI governance model framework, and it is clear that AI regulations and policies are still in the early stages in the region. The success of using AI for good depends upon trust, and that trust can only be built over time with the utmost adherence to ethical principles and practices.

"Hence, closer collaboration between government institutions, legal organisations and businesses is required to ensure advancements and innovation in AI. A focus on regulating its applications and not just the technology itself will also be pivotal in establishing trust in AI.

"The attention on Artificial Intelligence will trickle to 2020, as more businesses begin investing on AI-powered solutions to improve business performance in Singapore and the region. AI will present a balance of opportunities and challenges – aiding the deployment of smart city projects for the former, while issues on security as well as ethics being part of the latter."

- Asheesh Mehra, Co-Founder and Group CEO, AntWorks

Quantum computing

Source: LogRhythm. Wong.

“Google’s Sycamore project was heralded as a breakthrough for quantum computing earlier this year. And while we’re certainly still far off from the advanced quantum computing that could change the way we perform standard cryptography; we are already seeing quantum computing make its way into the mainstream. For example, Microsoft announced its new Azure Quantum service, which will soon allow select customers to run quantum code and use quantum hardware.”

- Joanne Wong, Senior Regional Director for Asia Pacific & Japan at LogRhythm

Security

“Data breaches continue to dominate cybersecurity headlines around the world, and Centrify's research reveals that 74% of data breaches involve privileged access abuse. The reality is that cyberattackers no longer ‘hack’ in, they log in using weak, default, stolen, or otherwise compromised credentials and then seek out privileged access to critical systems and sensitive, profitable data.

Source: Centrify. Mountstephen. 

"While some may be encouraged to see fines being imposed on organisations that are not placing a higher importance on customer privacy and data security, more attention should be devoted to placing stricter access controls in place to keep bad actors out. Adopting basic privileged access management strategies and a Zero Trust approach to cybersecurity, which assumes no one is to be trusted until their identity is proven, can significantly harden the cybersecurity posture of any organisation and reduce their risk of being breached, and fined.”

- Dan Mountstephen, Regional VP at Centrify

"Learning from the slew of past incidents, both the public and private sector recognise that cybersecurity cannot be an afterthought. On a national level, we witnessed the introduction of Digital Defence as the sixth pillar in (Singapore's) national defense framework, the first time an additional pillar has been added to the framework in 35 years.

"This significant milestone puts into perspective the gravity of digital risk and the insistent need to safeguard against the damage it can cause to the physical world. Take for instance the impact a nationwide power outage can have should a smart cities’ power grids be compromised by threat actors."

- George Lee, VP, Asia Pacific & Japan, RSA

Source: Veritas. Rajendran.

“In Singapore, the latest malware incidents that hit before we close out the year is yet another timely reminder that ransomware will no longer be a matter of data denied. It will be a case of data compromised. Globally, the public sector, healthcare and manufacturing are emerging as some of the most likely targets. To bolster data security, the Singapore government has set up the high-level Public Sector Data Security Review Committee (PSDSRC).

“One of the key recommendations for improving transparency in the public sector's data security is to publish the government's policies and standards relating to personal data protection and provide an annual update.

“At Veritas, we believe that this is a step in the right direction as publishing these standards also allows vendors that work for the government to understand the standards that must be met. Very soon, data responsibility won’t just be for internal consumption. It will be how organisations do business and choose who they work with.”

- Ravi Rajendran, VP and MD of Asia South Region, Veritas 

Source: Malwarebytes. Hurmuses.

“We will see an increased use of deepfake technology for malicious purposes. For example, scammers and malware authors will attempt to sabotage electoral candidates or politicians by spreading falsehoods.

"There may be more incidents like the controversial video of a Malaysian Minister or even the use of such technology to make women the victims of digital sexual crimes, as deepfake tech will either be incredibly subtle or incredibly convincing to the point where it would require a lot of digging to determine whether it was fake. Regardless of the tactics for scamming, the real threat will be the attacks on our hearts and minds through social media and media manipulation."

- Jeff Hurmuses, Area VP and MD, Asia Pacific at Malwarebytes 

Robotics

"While robots were most commonly being used in industrial settings to assist manufacturers with the
mass production of goods, we are now seeing more instances of robots being used in the broader
society today. From the tray-return robots found at food courts and hawker centres, to the room
service robots delivering amenities to guests at hotels, to the robot traffic cops that help with patrolling duties at the airport, these autonomous machines are increasingly making a difference in our everyday lives.

"With robots currently being used primarily to ease labour crunches and resolve manpower constraints, we expect to see the application of robotic technologies being expanded beyond business use cases, to help solve some of the more pressing societal challenges, such as ageing, in the coming years.

"With growing demand on healthcare infrastructure as a result of a greying population, robots like HOSPI can help deliver medicines and medical equipment around hospitals and care homes, freeing up valuable time for medical professionals to provide personal care for their patients. Trials for self-driving robotic mobility wheelchairs are also being carried out at airports and large shopping malls to help the elderly safely navigate their way to their destination, enhancing accessibility while removing some of the key obstacles for the mobility-challenged old folks."

- Ryu Takehiko, MD of Panasonic Asia Pacific

HOSPI is a Panasonic robot introduced in 2015 to carry out deliveries at Changi General Hospital, Singapore.