Impact Assessment of Investments into AI Manpower and Capability Development from 2022 to Date
Ministry of Digital Development and InformationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms He Ting Ru’s inquiry into whether the US$50 million investment for AI manpower and capability development announced in 2022 has met its objectives. Minister for Digital Development and Information Mrs Josephine Teo explained that the funding expanded the AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP) and established the National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship for AI. Since 2018, the AIAP has trained over 400 practitioners, with 85% of graduates entering AI engineering roles and 15% joining AI Singapore to support national projects. Furthermore, four NRF Fellowships have been awarded to attract early-career researchers, with their progress being closely tracked by the NRF. The assessment of these initiatives is based on these high employment rates and the ongoing monitoring of research milestones.
Transcript
15 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information in relation to the commitments announced at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) 2022 on AI manpower and capability development, including the additional US$50 million investment (a) whether the Government assesses that these initiatives have met their stated objectives to date; and (b) on what basis was this assessment made.
Mrs Josephine Teo: The additional US$50 million investment for artificial intelligence (AI) manpower and capability development supported the expansion of the AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP) and a new Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship for AI.
Since 2018, the AIAP has developed over 400 skilled AI practitioners, through practical training based on projects commissioned by industry partners and AI Singapore (AISG). To ensure quality completion of the project, apprentices are supervised by full-time AI engineers from AISG. On completion of their apprenticeships, participants decide whether to continue with the organisations where they received training or elsewhere. Over 85% of AIAP graduates took up AI engineering-related roles across the economy. The remaining 15% joined AISG to support the national and industry projects that AISG undertakes, and to help scale up the AIAP programme.
Four NRF Fellowships for AI have been awarded, to attract and anchor outstanding early-career AI researchers to conduct independent research in Singapore. The awarded Fellows are in the early stages of their research and NRF will engage them closely to track their progress.