New Singapore UK Agreement to Strengthen Global AI Safety and Governance

New Singapore-UK Agreement to Strengthen Global AI Safety and Governance

London, United Kingdom, 12pm, 6 November 2024 – Singapore and the United Kingdom have signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation to enhance the safety and reliability of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in its development and use, paving the way for greater public trust in AI advancements.

2. The Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Collaboration on the Safety of Artificial Intelligence was signed by Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, and Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle. This signing took place during Minister Teo’s working visit to the UK, where she also spoke at Financial Times’ Future of AI Summit on 6 November.

Agreement builds on longstanding digital partnership between Singapore and the UK

3. The UK-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (UKSDEA) took effect in 2022. Since then, collaboration between the two countries in digital and cybersecurity matters have continued to flourish, and both countries had inked five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU)¹ under the auspices of the UKSDEA. For example, in cybersecurity, both countries continue to develop their deep and wide-ranging cooperation across the operational, policy and technical levels.

4. Singapore and the UK also renewed an MoU on Digital Government Services in 2022 for another three years to explore innovative approaches to delivering more efficient and cost-effective public digital services. Areas of collaboration include digital service transformation, such as through a National Digital Identity, as well as capability-building through tech exchanges and workshops.

5. The latest agreement on AI is aligned with the commitments made by the two countries at the AI Safety Summit held in the UK in Nov 2023, and the objectives of the international network of AI Safety Institutes to align their work on research, standards and testing.

6. This agreement also builds on the Memorandum of Understanding on Emerging Technologies signed by both countries on 27 June 2023, which included commitments to explore cooperation on AI. It captures the active exchanges between Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the Digital Trust Centre (DTC) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) which has been designated as Singapore’s AI Safety Institute; the UK Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and the UK AI Safety Institute on research collaboration, international standards development, and safety testing. It affirms the importance of international collaboration to advance the science of AI safety and maps out pathways for deeper collaboration on AI safety, including frameworks around information sharing and intellectual property rights.

Key areas of collaboration under new MoC

7. The new MoC will strengthen cooperation between the AI Safety Institutes (AISIs) of both countries. Key areas of collaboration include:

i. AI Safety Research: Enhancing joint efforts to advance the science of AI safety, focusing on developing safer AI systems and risk management.

ii. Global Norms: Collaborating on international AI safety standards and protocols, including through possible cooperation with the Network of AI Safety Institutes, ensuring a global approach to AI risk mitigation.

iii. Information Sharing: Expanding knowledge exchange between the two countries’ AI Safety Institutes to ensure that AI systems are developed and deployed in ways that are trustworthy and safe for global use.

iv. Comprehensive AI Testing: Joint development of safety testing frameworks that provide robust evaluations throughout the AI lifecycle.

8. Minister Teo said: "We are committed to realising our vision of AI for the Public Good for Singapore, and the world. The signing of this new Memorandum of Cooperation with our important partner, the United Kingdom, builds on existing areas of common interest and extends them to new opportunities in AI. Of particular significance is our joint support of the international Network of AI Safety Institutes (AISIs). Through strengthening the capabilities of our AISIs, we seek to enhance AI safety, so that our peoples and businesses can confidently harness AI and benefit from its widespread adoption.”

9. SoS Kyle said: “Developing an effective global approach to AI safety means having as many voices contributing to that discussion as possible, and that’s why the UK continues to place such an emphasis on the work of the International Network of AI Safety Institute, while also strengthening our own research partnerships. The UK and Singapore share an enduring friendship and as a key partner on AI safety, this agreement will see us work shoulder to shoulder to advance research, information sharing and best practices - to promote the safe development and use of AI across the globe.”

10. Beyond the MoC signing, Minister Teo and SoS Kyle discussed areas of mutual interest and cooperation, such as in online safety, cybersecurity, and digital government.

11. As part of this working visit, Minister Teo, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs, will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Security Cooperation with the UK’s Home Office. She also visited France where she engaged government leaders and industry stakeholders on the latest digital developments and potential areas for bilateral cooperation.

¹The five MOUs include three MOUs signed on 29 November 2021 on Digital Trade Facilitation, Digital Identities, and Cyber Security; and two MOUs signed on 27 June 2023 on Data Cooperation and Emerging Technologies.