Create an image symbolizing Singapore's AI ecosystem that blends traditional ASEAN cultural elements with modern technology. Show a stylized Singapore skyline where traditional buildings seamlessly transition into futuristic structures. In the foreground, include diverse groups of people collaborating around holographic AI displays showing both Singlish text and various Southeast Asian scripts. Add symbolic elements representing AIAP apprentices and 100E projects, with knowledge flowing between generations - children, working professionals, and mentors. The scene should convey balance between state guidance (represented by orderly infrastructure) and innovation (shown through glowing AI interfaces). Use warm colors with blues and greens to represent both technological advancement and cultural preservation, creating a harmonious vision of an AI-First Nation that honors historical roots while embracing the future.
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AI First Nation: Bridging Prof. Wang Gungwu’s Insights with AI Singapore’s Programmes

When I started with AI Singapore in 2017, my mission was simple – to help 100 companies build AI solutions through our 100 Experiments (100E) programme. Today, that mission has expanded into creating a comprehensive AI ecosystem that positions Singapore as a leading AI-First nation. Recently, I came across Prof Wang Gungwu‘s work, articles, books…

Example of Claude-code understanding a code repository.
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Navigating the AI Developer Landscape: Beyond the 3-Month Coding Bootcamp Fantasy

Over the past few months since launching my book “AI-First Nation,” I’ve been reflecting on how rapidly the development landscape is transforming with the rise of AI coding assistants. These reflections have crystallized into some insights I’d like to share with our growing community of AI enthusiasts and professionals. The Changing Reality for Developers AI…

The Art of Finding the Right AI Use Cases for SMEs
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The Art of Finding the Right AI Use Cases for SMEs

When SMEs approach me about adopting AI, they typically ask: “What AI use cases can I use in my business?” While it seems like a straightforward question, finding the right AI application is not a one-size-fits-all exercise. It’s more art than science, requiring an understanding of both the business context and AI readiness. Beyond the…

pAIRI: Your Personal Guide to AI Readiness
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pAIRI: Your Personal Guide to AI Readiness

When my team and I developed the AI Readiness Index (AIRI) in 2019, it helped organizations understand their AI maturity and what steps they needed to take to become AI-ready. Fast forward to today, and I am excited to introduce the Personal AI Readiness Index (pAIRI) – a framework for individuals to assess their own…

Comparing training DeepSeek R1 to Frying that perfect plate of hokkien mee
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DeepSeek V3 $5.6M is like your $5 plate of Hokkien Mee

Discover the untold story behind DeepSeek’s $5.6M AI model training. While the final cost dazzles, the real investment lies in years of R&D, infrastructure, and top-tier engineering talent. Learn how innovation under constraints redefined efficiency and why this breakthrough caught many off guard. Dive into the hidden costs of AI development now.

Singapore’s Journey from Local Innovation to Global Impact with the AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP)

Singapore’s Journey from Local Innovation to Global Impact with the AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP)

“Discover how Singapore’s AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP) transformed AI talent development, bridging the skills gap with real-world projects and creating a global blueprint for innovation. Learn how this model is driving measurable impact worldwide.”

Under the table cluster for AI Experiments
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From Supercomputers to LLMs: How Open Source and Ingenuity Democratize Cutting-Edge Technology

Big data, data science, machine learning, and now “open source” (more correctly called source-available, weights-available as their data and sometimes their training methods are not freely shared) Large Language Models (LLMs) are all the rage and have tons of hype, for better—and in some ways, for worse. Having spent my early career building open-source Linux…

AIAP Foundations Platform diagram showing the interaction of human learners and AI agents in a virtual environment.
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The Rise of AI Agents: A Glimpse into 2025 and Beyond

The year is coming to a close, and what a year it has been for AI. But as we stand on the cusp of 2025, it’s clear that the true revolution is just beginning. AI agents are poised to reshape not just technology, but how we live, work, and learn. Scaling AIAP AI Singapore’s AI…

From Singapore to the World: How AIRI is Shaping Global AI Readiness
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From Singapore to the World: How AIRI is Shaping Global AI Readiness

Introduction to AI Readiness Index When we conceived and developed the AI Readiness Index (AIRI) at AI Singapore in 2019, it was born out of necessity. After hundreds of engagements with companies, we noticed a pattern – organizations needed a structured way to assess and improve their AI readiness. But more importantly, they needed to…

Behind the Scenes: Building the AI-First Nation (AIFN) Knowledge Assistant – LLX
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Behind the Scenes: Building the AI-First Nation (AIFN) Knowledge Assistant – LLX

In this article, I will share the evolution of the AIFN chatbot now named as LLX, which stands for Laurence Liew eXtended. Think of LLX as a virtual twin and eXtension of myself. LLX can advise anyone in the world 24x7x365 who is keen to learn about the AIFN book contents and/or AI Singapore’s programmes….

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