MDDI's Response to PQ on Usage and Adoption of Voice-to-Text, Speech Recognition and Multimodal AI Tools

Parliament Sitting on 10 September 2026

Question for Oral Answer

*34. Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Government tracks the usage and adoption rates of voice-to-text, speech recognition, and multimodal AI tools, including Singapore-developed models such as the Southeast Asian Languages in One Network (SEA-LION) and Multimodal Empathetic Reasoning and Learning in One Network (MERaLiON), among seniors accessing digital Government and community services; and (b) if so, what are the current rates.

Answer

The Government does not centrally track the adoption rates of voice-to-text, speech recognition, and multimodal AI tools among seniors, as these capabilities are deployed across multiple platforms, services, and devices.

The Government has supported the development of SEA-LION and MERaLiON to build AI capabilities that better reflect Singapore’s and Southeast Asia’s linguistic and cultural context. We support their use where they can improve accessibility and service delivery to enhance the lives of Singaporeans, including our seniors. For example, MERaLiON's empathetic and multilingual speech capabilities are being used to power the AI voice assistants of Lions Befrienders – a Social Service Agency primarily serving seniors – to engage seniors in more natural conversations. This helps caregivers understand seniors’ needs better and provide more timely assistance.

*Converted to written answer