CNA938 Rewind - Singapore's large language model game steps up
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Local large language model Sea-Lion has gained much attention in South-East Asia – with around 235,000 downloads so far. AI Singapore researchers are now planning to add voice recognition to the programme later this year. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin find out more with Darius Liu, Head of Partnerships & Strategy, AI Singapore.
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Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The index, which was released in July, defined AI maturity as readiness for AI innovation. SINGAPORE – Interest in generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) is growing in Singapore's skills scene. A new report measuring global skill levels in business, tech, and data science based on online learning trends by online course provider Coursera, placed Singapore first among 109 countries in terms of AI maturity. The index, which was release d in July, defined AI maturity as readiness for AI innovation. Denmark came in second and Switzerland placed third. Apart from its own enrolment numbers for AI-related courses, Coursera analysed countries' research output by their local institutes of higher learning, and d ata from the International Monetary Fund's AI Preparedness Index which assesses how well countries are prepared to adopt and integrate AI technologies. Professor Simon Chesterman, senior director of AI governance at AI Singapore, a national programme aimed at boosting Singapore's AI capabilities, said that Coursera's report indicates that there is a healthy appetite for learning about Gen AI among Singaporeans. Singapore has done well in the AI space partly due to government strategies like SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and a reasonably educated, well-connected population without any rural communities, he added. There are 107,000 Gen AI course enrolments on Coursera in Singapore to date, with 44,000 new enrolments in 2024. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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An uptick in enrolment in AI courses probably stems from curiosity and worry among adult learners in Singapore, Prof Chesterman said. 'They want to learn more, or they want to preserve their relevance in the workforce.' 'Certainly there are reasons to be optimistic about what's going on in Singapore, but no reason to rest on our laurels,' he said. Citing the set-up of AI Singapore in 2017, Prof Chesterman, who is also vice provost of educational innovation at the National University of Singapore, said: 'We moved early on this... while many countries are onto their first AI strategy, Singapore has had a refresh of our version 2.0.' AI Singapore was launched eight years ago to help businesses and the government use AI in practical ways, and to nurture local AI talent. Under the updated National AI Strategy 2.0 launched in 2023, its focus has expanded to scaling AI talent and using AI for public good both locally and globally. Coursera chief executive Greg Hart said that a study by Google and Access Partnership, a public policy consultancy focused on technology, has projected that there are significant economic benefits to be reaped with gen AI. With the study's forecast showing that AI can add nearly USD$150 billion (S$192 billion) to Singapore's economy by 2030, the workforce needs to upskill in this area, he told The Straits Times. 'For that to happen, Singapore needs to make sure that as many people as possible have the right skills to enable that. And you've got the national AI strategy, which is aiming to triple the number of people with AI skills in the workforce over the next three to five years,' said Mr Hart. Online providers like Coursera can augment university curricula with industry-created AI micro-credentials, he added. Micro-credentials are short, focused courses or certifications that help people learn specific skills quickly. Coursera chief executive Greg Hart said that a study by Google and Access Partnership has projected that there are significant economic benefits to be reaped with gen AI. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY Teaming up with SkillsFuture In August 2024, Coursera and Udemy Business were added to the list of SkillsFuture-approved platforms, allowing users to use their SkillsFuture credits for courses on these sites. The number of Singaporeans who have used SkillsFuture Credits for learning for online learning has increased nearly tenfold from 266 in 2023 to 2,655 in 2024, an SSG spokeswoman said. These include courses on three other online learning platforms: GnowbeLearn, NTUC LearningHub Learning eXperience Platform (LHUB LXP) and ZilLearn. As of end June, about 2,450 SkillsFuture Credit claims have been made for subscriptions to Coursera. Mr Hart said that online courses give adult learners more flexibility and access to content on the go. Coursera has found that 39 per cent of its Singapore learners use their mobile phones for learning. The rest use their laptops, computers or other digital devices. 'You want to meet the learner wherever they are,' Mr Hart noted. There are currently 1.3 million registered learners on Coursera in Singapore, the result of 14 per cent year-over-year growth. The Coursera report shows more than double the number of males enrolling for courses on the platform compared to females, but Mr Hart expects women's numbers to catch up. Men tend to dominate tech-related courses, but online learning may be a more comfortable learning option for women, who have also been observed to better engage with AI-driven tutors available on the platform than men. With growth in Gen AI course enrolments for women standing at 253 per cent, women are catching up to men in AI learning, whose growth in enrolment is 168 per cent . 'Online learning is a fantastic way to sort of level the playing field... because it brings access to world-class education to people around the world,' he said. Mr Christoper Tan, 55, has used his SkillsFuture credits to sign up for a Coursera subscription. Since September 2024, the educator who teaches tertiary statistics and mathematics has taken over 30 courses on the platform. One of the first courses he enrolled in was Learning How To Learn by Dr Barbara Oakley, which he was able to spread out in bite-sized portions and complete in two weeks. 'I could learn on the go. That means I could use my mobile phone while in the bus or MRT, to watch the videos and attempt the quizzes,' he said, adding that while at home, he would use his laptop and tablet devices to continue from where he left off. Besides enabling him to learn at his own pace, online learning has helped him gain a variety of skills, be it in tech, writing or soft skills, he said. He also completed a few AI related courses, one of which taught him how to recognise when emotions or AI-generated content might be skewing logic, as well as other courses that were directly useful to his profession, such as effective communication through writing, design and presentation. 'As an educator, it is important for me to be able to prepare and present material well when I'm in a classroom. And I need to be able to talk clearly and well,' said Mr Tan. 'These online courses are taught by actual professors from reputable universities. So that's another thing I like about it.'
Independent Singapore
12-08-2025
- Independent Singapore
From aunties to undergrads: How Shopee's everyday delivery army drove a 300% stock surge
ASIA: In the global e-commerce arena, giants like Amazon, TikTok Shop, Shein, and Temu grab headlines. However, in Southeast Asia—a region of 675 million people with a rapidly growing US$160 billion (S$205 billion) online shopping market—the leader is an unexpected player. Its name? Shopee. Its color? A bright orange, as unmistakable as a traffic cone. Although other international players engage in ostentatious drives and viral sales, Shopee silently created a response that is now a scorching sensation on Wall Street. Shares of its parent company, Singapore-based Sea Ltd., have climbed more than 300% since the beginning of 2024. According to a recent article from SCMP, the key to this 'rebirth' isn't just a smooth app or clever pricing. It's SPX Express, Shopee's in-house logistics arm, which relies not only on branded trucks and large warehouses but also on an unexpected workforce of homemakers, retirees, and students, along with a surprising number of blue Ikea bags. SPX Express wasn't always a powerhouse. A few years ago, Shopee depended heavily on third-party couriers like J&T Express and Singapore Post. This setup was fragile in a region with numerous islands, scooter-friendly alleys, and dirt roads. In 2021, the pandemic triggered a surge in online shopping, causing Shopee's delivery network to struggle. CEO Forrest Li made a bold choice: Sea would invest nearly US$1 billion to build its delivery system. It was a perilous strategy at a rough moment. Sea's stock had fallen nearly 90% from its 2021 highs, layoffs were happening, and operations in Europe and Latin America were closing down. But the investment in logistics proved worthwhile. Enter Hoirul Hafiidz bin Maksom, a former hospital operator brought in to repair the flaws. He didn't just optimize routes or hire more drivers; he rethought how delivery could function, focusing on community building. In Singapore, it's common to see a retiree in flip-flops carrying a blue Ikea bag full of Shopee parcels from one apartment to another or a homemaker managing a parcel pickup spot near the elevator. These people are the silent, unrewarded heroes of SPX Express, a portion of a devolved but closely-knit distribution network. For John, a delivery veteran, the job is more than just a source of income. 'I've made so many friends,' he said. 'I get to chat with elderly neighbours and witness family milestones. It's become part of my life.' Shopee embraced this community-based model. Inspired by the informal practice of neighbours picking up parcels for each other, Hoirul had a moment of inspiration: why not formalize it? Today, over 3,500 collection points are spread across Singapore—some in shops and lockers, others in actual homes. Pearlyn Tan runs one out of her flat with her husband, handling as many as 80 parcels a day. For 30 cents per parcel, it's a small but consistent side job. For Shopee, this offers a logistical advantage that no advertisement can replicate. This community model works well across Southeast Asia's diverse landscape. In Indonesia, Shopee's collection points are in warungs—small family-run shops. In Taiwan, convenience stores host Shopee lockers. Even in Brazil, where Shopee is expanding rapidly, the SPX network is growing fast. And the numbers support this success: SPX Express now manages the majority of Shopee's billions of annual parcels. It processes up to 400,000 packages daily in sorting centers, where parcels travel down conveyor belts into color-coded bags. In Singapore, 90% of deliveries arrive the next day. Across the region, nearly half are delivered within two days. This operational métier led to substantial market domination. Shopee now controls 56% of Southeast Asia's e-commerce market by gross merchandise value, according to Momentum Works—far ahead of TikTok Shop (19%) and Lazada (15%). Sea Ltd. is expected to announce record revenues of US$5 billion in its upcoming earnings report, with e-commerce making up the bulk of that figure. Logistics is becoming a key factor, expected to produce US$799 million—an increase of 14% year-over-year. However, just like anything else, success came with its challenges. Singapore residents voiced out concerns about public areas being utilised for the sorting of parcels. Local councils have forced SPX operators to relocate. The gig-style pay model—often around 50 Singapore cents per parcel—means many delivery workers are pushing harder to keep up with increasing volume. While SPX may have briefly overtaken J&T Express in parcel volume, it still faces hurdles when trying to grow beyond Shopee's ecosystem. Profit margins are tight, and TikTok Shop, backed by deep resources from ByteDance, is a strong competitor. Nevertheless, analysts like Maybank's Hussaini Saifee remain positive. 'Shopee's retention of its market share is tied to SPX Express, along with expanding the range of products on their platform and lowering prices by collaborating with sellers,' he stated. Shopee's vibrant orange is now a part of everyday life in Southeast Asia—not just on apps, but also on trucks, scooters, lockers, and in living rooms turned into mini post offices. Its model may not be flashy, but it is efficient, personal, and deeply rooted in the local community.
