Latest news with #ATxSummit2025
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
ATxSummit 2025: Meta V-P downplays fears over AI as critics raise alarm over online risks to youth
(From left) IMDA's Alamelu Subramaniam, Adobe's Andy Parsons, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Meta's Simon Milner and SMU's Lim Sun Sun during a discussion at ATxSummit 2025 on May 29. PHOTO: INFOCOMM MEDIA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ATxSummit 2025: Meta V-P downplays fears over AI as critics raise alarm over online risks to youth SINGAPORE – Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, downplayed fears over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), urging policymakers and the public to focus on actual outcomes rather than worst-case scenarios. The comments by its Asia-Pacific public policy vice-president Simon Milner drew sharp rebuttals at the ATxSummit 2025 on May 29, where fellow panellists said the rapid spread of AI has real-world consequences such as online harms affecting youth and children. During the panel at Capella Singapore, Mr Milner cited 2024 as the 'year of democracy', as more people across a bigger number of countries went to the polls than at any other time in history. While there were widespread concerns about deepfakes and generative AI (GenAI) disrupting elections, he said no significant evidence of such interference was found – not even in major democracies like the US, India or Indonesia. 'Although enormous amounts of GenAI were deployed across platforms, the impact has not been catastrophic,' he added. However, his views were not shared by fellow panellists discussing the topic of protecting society in an always-online world. Drawing from her work, Singapore Management University's professor of communication and technology Lim Sun Sun said many parents feel anxious and unsure about how to guide their children in navigating the rapid rise of GenAI. 'Even if the data doesn't paint a worrying picture overall, on the ground, people are struggling to understand this technology,' Prof Lim said. Teachers also face a dilemma: Encouraging experimentation with AI while warning about its risks. 'It is a difficult balance,' she added. Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Margaret Beryl Jones) , the UK's parliamentary under-secretary for the future digital economy and online safety, echoed similar concerns about online harms affecting youth and children. She pointed to an ongoing public debate in the UK about the damaging effects some online platforms have on young users. 'For example, children accessing online suicide forums and committing suicide. This is just heartbreaking, and we have some terrible stories about it,' she said. In May 2024, 17-year-old Vlad Nikolin-Caisley from Hampshire in south-east England died after allegedly being encouraged by members of an online pro-suicide group. His family believes these harmful online interactions played a significant role in his death, intensifying calls for stronger regulation of such platforms. Baroness Jones stressed the need for tech companies to work closely with the government to minimise such harms, but acknowledged that not all companies are fully on board, as the government is 'laying high expectations in a new territory'. But Mr Milner pushed back, arguing that the UK – or more broadly, Europe – rushed to be the first region to regulate AI, which he described as a mistake. He said this approach has led to a stand-off with companies. In contrast, he praised Singapore and other Asian governments for taking a different path: Fostering robust dialogue with tech firms, both publicly and privately, while asking tough questions without rushing into heavy-handed regulations. Mr Andy Parsons, senior director of content authenticity at Adobe, highlighted the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. It is becoming nearly impossible for the police to identify real victims if the materials were generated entirely by AI, he said. Mr Parsons warned that this not only hinders efforts to bring perpetrators to justice but also erases the real human suffering behind these crimes – a grave problem that requires urgent attention. Prof Lim agreed, noting that the issue of CSAM has been worsened by the rapid spread of GenAI. She is currently identifying key stakeholders across the industry, government and the community who are involved in tackling the problem . We need to understand 'where else can we coordinate our efforts better so that we can combat this really dreadful scourge', she said. Addressing the concerns raised by his fellow panellists, Mr Milner emphasised that Meta's top priority is developing products with features to mitigate online harms. He cited the introduction of teen-specific accounts on Instagram as a response to growing worries about young people's engagement with the platform. 'I think we should be more parent-focused in our approach to young people's safety,' he said, adding that teen accounts are not just about imposing bans. 'Parents want help, and we are here to help them.' Baroness Jones stressed that AI safety must be approached as safety by design – embedded into platforms from the outset, rather than relying on reactive measures like taking down the content afterwards. 'It should be an integral part of the system that children, in particular, are protected,' she said. But achieving that remains a major challenge. Citing reports from the UK, she highlighted that children as young as eight have encountered disturbing content online, often repeatedly surfaced to them by algorithms. She believed the algorithms are clearly reinforcing exposure to harmful material. If tech companies truly put their minds to it, they could rework the way these systems operate, she said, emphasising that keeping children safe must be the top priority. Prof Lim also called for safety by design, stressing that online spaces should be built with the most vulnerable users in mind – whether they are children, women, the elderly or marginalised communities. She said: 'Because once you've designed for the most vulnerable, it makes the whole platform safer for everyone.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
ATx Summit 2025: Meta VP downplays fears over AI, critics raise alarm over online risks to youth
(From left) IMDA Assistant Chief Executive Alamelu Subramaniam, Adobe Content Authenticity Senior Director Andy Parsons, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Meta Public Policy for Asia Pacific Vice-President Simon Milner, Singapore Management University Partnerships and Engagement Vice-President Sun Sun Lim during a panel discussion on May 29. PHOTO: INFOCOMM MEDIA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SINGAPORE – Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, downplayed fears over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), urging policymakers and the public to focus on actual outcomes rather than worst-case scenarios. The comments by its Asia-Pacific public policy vice-president Simon Milner drew sharp rebuttals at the ATx Summit 2025 on May 29, where fellow panellists said the rapid spread of AI has caused real-world consequences such as online harms affecting youth and children. During the panel at Capella Singapore, Mr Milner cited 2024 as the 'year of democracy', as more people across a bigger number of countries went to the polls than at any other time in history. While there were widespread concerns about deepfakes and generative AI (GenAI) disrupting elections, he said no significant evidence of such interference was found – not even in major democracies like the United States, India or Indonesia. 'Although enormous amounts of GenAI were deployed across platforms, the impact has not been catastrophic,' he added. However, his views were not shared by fellow panellists discussing the topic of protecting society in an always online world. Drawing from her work, Singapore Management University's professor of communication and technology Lim Sun Sun said many parents feel anxious and unsure about how to guide their children in navigating the rapid rise of GenAI. 'Even if the data doesn't paint a worrying picture overall, on the ground, people are struggling to understand this technology,' Prof Lim said. Teachers also face a dilemma: encouraging experimentation with AI while warning about its risks. 'It is a difficult balance,' she added. Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Margaret Beryl Jones) , the United Kingdom's parliamentary under-secretary for the future digital economy and online safety, echoed similar concerns about online harms affecting youth and children. She pointed to an ongoing public debate in the UK about the damaging effects some online platforms have on young users. 'For example, children accessing online suicide forums and committing suicide. This is just heartbreaking, and we have some terrible stories about it,' Baroness Jones said. In May 2024, 17-year-old Vlad Nikolin-Caisley from Hampshire in south-east England died after allegedly being encouraged by members of an online pro-suicide group. His family believes these harmful online interactions played a significant role in his death, intensifying calls for stronger regulation of such platforms. Baroness Jones stressed the need for tech companies to work closely with the government to minimise such harms but acknowledged that not all companies are fully on board, as the government is 'laying high expectations in a new territory'. But Mr Milner pushed back, arguing that the UK – or more broadly, Europe – rushed to be the first region to regulate AI, which he described as a mistake. He said this approach has led to a stand-off with companies. In contrast, he praised Singapore and other Asian governments for taking a different path: fostering robust dialogue with tech firms, both publicly and privately, while asking tough questions without rushing into heavy-handed regulations. Mr Andy Parsons, senior director of content authenticity at Adobe, highlighted the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. It is becoming nearly impossible for the police to identify real victims if the materials were generated entirely by AI, he said. Mr Parsons warned that this not only hinders efforts to bring perpetrators to justice but also erases the real human suffering behind these crimes – a grave problem that requires urgent attention. Prof Lim agreed, noting that the issue of CSAM has been worsened by the rapid spread of GenAI. She is currently identifying key stakeholders across industry, government and the community who are involved in tackling the problem . We need to understand 'where else can we coordinate our efforts better so that we can combat this really dreadful scourge', she said. Addressing the concerns raised by his fellow panellists, Mr Milner emphasised that Meta's top priority is developing products with features to mitigate online harms. He cited the introduction of teen-specific accounts on Instagram as a response to growing worries about young people's engagement with the platform. 'I think we should be more parent-focused in our approach to young people's safety,' he said, adding that teen accounts are not just about imposing bans. 'Parents want help, and we are here to help them.' Baroness Jones stressed that AI safety must be approached as safety by design – embedded into platforms from the outset, rather than relying on reactive measures like taking down the content afterwards. 'It should be an integral part of the system that children, in particular, are protected,' she said. But achieving that remains a major challenge. Citing reports from the UK, she highlighted that children as young as eight years old have encountered disturbing content online, often repeatedly surfaced to them by algorithms. She believed the algorithms are clearly reinforcing exposure to harmful material. If tech companies truly put their minds to it, they could rework the way these systems operate, she said, emphasising that keeping children safe must be the top priority. Prof Lim also called for safety by design, stressing that online spaces should be built with the most vulnerable users in mind – whether they are children, women, the elderly or marginalised communities. She said: 'Because once you've designed for the most vulnerable, it makes the whole platform safer for everyone.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Singapore's MERaLiON, Southeast Asia's empathetic Large Language Model, Breaks New Ground with Multilingual Processing and Emotional Intelligence
SINGAPORE, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At ATxSummit 2025, the flagship event of Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG), Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information (MDDI), unveiled updates to Singapore's Large Language Model - Multimodal Empathetic Reasoning and Learning in One Network (MERaLiON) - and launched the MERaLiON Consortium, a significant boost to Southeast Asia's AI capabilities. She also announced new global initiatives and collaborations which strengthen Singapore's AI ecosystem and accelerate responsible AI adoption, putting Singapore at the forefront of efforts to operationalise AI safety. MERaLiON breaks new ground with enhancements and new Global Partnerships MERaLiON, a large language model developed by A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I 2 R) and supported by IMDA, breaks new ground in regional AI capabilities with enhanced multilingual processing and emotional intelligence. The model now handles Malay, Tamil, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, and Vietnamese on top of English, Mandarin and Singlish, with advanced code-switching abilities and emotion recognition features. These improvements enable more intuitive and culturally aware AI applications in Southeast Asia, which could be applied to customer service, social service, and marketing. To accelerate adoption, IMDA and A*STAR I 2 R have launched the MERaLiON consortium, to bring together local and global industry players and research and development (R&D) institutions like HTX, MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT), NCS, National Supercomputing Centre (NSCC), SPH Media and ST Engineering with technology companies like Axiom IT Solutions, BytePlus, CommonTown, DBS, Grab and Microsoft Singapore. The consortium will focus on developing practical AI applications, from multilingual customer support to health and emotional insight detection and agentic decision-making systems. Since its release in December 2024, MERaLiON's first version has garnered over 90,000 downloads globally, attracting users from corporate research labs, media service providers, startups, and academics. Advancing global conversations for a trusted AI ecosystem In the area of AI safety research, Singapore was the site of global cooperation in identifying and prioritising research domains through the "The Singapore Consensus on Global AI Safety Research Priorities" (The Singapore Consensus). This Consensus is a living document that will serve as the foundation for the ATxSG Government-to-Government (G2G) Ministerial Roundtable on Digital Trust which seeks to bridge science to policy, and translate technical research into practical policies, by facilitating meaningful conversations between AI scientists and policymakers. Singapore's enhanced AI Verify Testing Framework addresses both Generative AI (Gen AI) and traditional AI risks. In continued collaboration with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), we developed a crosswalk to map the enhanced Framework with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. This reaffirms the alignment between our two countries' AI governance frameworks and reflects our shared commitment to cooperation. Together, these initiatives underscore Singapore's commitment to building foundational infrastructure for AI safety development and testing that is grounded in scientific evidence to co-develop implementable, interoperable frameworks for responsible AI. Strengthening global digital trust partnerships Singapore's AI Safety Institute signed a Joint Statement with France's AI Safety Institute to kickstart collaboration and cooperation on AI safety and cooperation on 28 May 2025. The Joint statement was signed between MDDI, Mrs Josephine Teo, and French Minister Delegate of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologues, Mrs Clara Chappaz at ATx 2025. Singapore and US spearhead the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Certification for businesses to facilitate trusted cross border data flows, providing access to 9 economies with about 40 trillion in market size. This was developed by the Global CBPR Forum, of which Singapore serves as deputy chair. Companies can apply for the new Certification from 2 June 2025, which will allow organisations to demonstrate compliance with internationally recognised data protection standards. Singapore's Enigma Health partners with Roche and ST Engineering Enigma Health, a spinoff from SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, signed two strategic partnerships on 27 May 2025, with Roche and ST Engineering's Enterprise Digital to expand its capabilities. This was announced by Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information at the "Scaling and Sustaining Healthcare with Gen AI" symposium held at ATxSG. These two new partnerships will accelerate clinical trials, market access, insights and business intelligence to help with patients' care and access to novel drugs and digital technologies. Enigma Health's flagship product, Enigma, is Singapore's home-grown sovereign healthcare agentic AI platform developed by a team of clinicians and AI scientists to improve workflow optimisation, streamlining data-intensive and time-consuming processes while ensuring robust data security and regulatory compliance. It has been piloted at SingHealth institutions. IMDA and Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to combat telecommunications fraud across ASEAN. The MOU was exchanged between Ms Jasmin Lau, Minister of State at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and Dr Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, Chairman of the NBTC at the sidelines of ATxSG 2025.
