Latest news with #IMDA
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Over a thousand ViewQwest users report internet disruption
Reports on Downdetector spiked at around 4.30pm at 1,491, following an earlier peak of 537 at 11.15am. PHOTO: VIEWQWEST/FACEBOOK SINGAPORE – Users of internet service provider ViewQwest reported connection issues on the afternoon of May 31 on an outage tracking website, with reports peaking at more than 1,400. Reports on Downdetector spiked at around 4.30pm at 1,491, following an earlier peak of 537 at 11.15am. The latest disruption had come after ViewQwest said on Facebook at around 3pm that its internet services were fully restored by 1.30pm after the earlier disruption. The internet service provider had attributed the morning service interruption to a power disruption at one of its data centres, during which its backup system did not kick in as expected. Its hotline had also faced technical difficulties during the earlier disruption, ViewQwest said. It added that it was working closely with its data centre partner to review the outage and ensure safeguards are reinforced. More than 330 users have commented on the internet service provider's Facebook post regarding the disruption, with users reporting connection problems in places such as Eunos, Mountbatten, Bukit Batok and Sengkang in the latest disruption. ViewQwest is being probed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) over its previous outages, including a week-long disruption first reported on April 29. Under IMDA's telecommunications quality of service standards, errant operators can be fined up to $50,000 for each instance of non-compliance. The Straits Times has contacted ViewQwest for more information. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
US comedy series Hacks filmed Season 4 finale in Singapore
Hacks filmed internationally for the first time in Singapore for its Season 4 finale. PHOTO: MAX SINGAPORE – Local viewers of American comedy Hacks will find some very familiar sights in the Season 4 finale which premiered on May 30 morning on Max. The episode features local hot spots like The Fullerton Hotel, Gardens by the Bay, Resorts World Sentosa, The Clifford Pier and Victoria Theatre. The Emmy-winning series stars Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, a legendary stand-up comedienne. In the finale, Deborah has to travel abroad to continue performing. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) partnered with Max and Universal Studio Group for the first time that Hacks has filmed internationally. The episode was supported by the Singapore On-Screen Fund, a joint initiative by IMDA and STB. The fund supports global film and TV productions that spotlight Singapore as a tourism and film-making destination. IMDA's assistant chief executive of media industry group Yvonne Tang said in a press statement: 'The Singapore On-Screen Fund puts our local media industry and artists on the global map by giving them the opportunity to work alongside top international players to create engaging content. It shows the strength of our creative and production capabilities, and the calibre of talent we're growing here.' Hacks creators and showrunners Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky added: 'The city's robust production capabilities were so impressive, with the Singapore production crew demonstrating exceptional thoroughness and professionalism, showing how Singapore is a world-class destination all around.' All episodes of Hacks are available on Max, the streaming platform from Warner Bros. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
a day ago
- Business
- CNA
Season finale of Max comedy series Hacks was filmed in Singapore
It looks like a lot of celebrities have been secretly filming in Singapore. Weeks after the release of BTS member Jin's music video Don't Say You Love Me, it has been revealed that the cast of the comedy series Hacks filmed the finale of the show's fourth season at multiple locations in Singapore. The episode, which aired on streaming platform Max on Friday morning (May 30), revealed the circumstances that led to Deborah Vance (played by Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (played by Hannah Einbinder) coming to the country. According to producers, the filming locations in Singapore included: Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Changi Airport, Gardens by the Bay, Nova at One Raffles Place, Resorts World Sentosa, Clifford Pier, The Fullerton Bay Hotel, The Fullerton Hotel, Victoria Theatre and Hangar66 Cafe at Seletar. The episode was supported by the Singapore On-Screen Fund, a joint initiative by Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Launched in 2023, the fund supports global works that spotlight Singapore as a tourism and filmmaking destination. In a statement, Hacks showrunners Paul W Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky said they had "such a blast" shooting the episode. "Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and we couldn't have done it without the IMDA and STB's support," wrote the team. "The city's robust production capabilities were so impressive, with the Singapore production crew demonstrating exceptional thoroughness and professionalism, showing how Singapore is a world-class destination all around." Hacks premiered in 2021 and tells the story of veteran stand-up comedian Deborah Vance, who joins forces with the cancelled comedy writer Ava Daniels to reinvent her act. The show has been praised for its sharp writing and banter, with Smart's performance consistently lauded by critics. In 2024, Hacks won the Emmy for outstanding comedy series. Jean Smart herself has nabbed three Emmys for her role as Deborah Vance.
Straits Times
a day 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.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
Initiative by IMDA, AI Verify Foundation tests AI accuracy, trustworthiness in real-world scenarios, Digital News
SINGAPORE – Doctors at Changi General Hospital (CGH) are testing the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to summarise medical reports and provide recommendations on clinical surveillance. But are these recommendations accurate? Meanwhile, regulatory technology firm Tookitaki uses GenAI to investigate potential money laundering and fraud cases. Are its findings trustworthy? Earlier in 2025, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the AI Verify Foundation rolled out an initiative focused on real-world uses of GenAI to encourage the safe adoption of AI across various industries. The AI Verify Foundation is a not-for-profit subsidiary of IMDA that tackles pressing issues arising from AI. Between March and May, 17 organisations across 10 different sectors – including human resources, healthcare and finance – had their GenAI applications assessed by specialist GenAI testing firms. The findings were published on May 29, marking Singapore's commitment to spearhead the development of global standards for the safe deployment of GenAI apps. The Global AI Assurance Pilot, as the initiative is called, has allowed organisations to see how their GenAI applications perform under practical conditions, said Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How on May 29. He was speaking on the last day of the Asia Tech x Singapore conference, held at Capella Singapore. Clinical Associate Professor Chow Weien, chief data and digital officer at CGH, told The Straits Times that taking part in the initiative helped the hospital design a more robust and reliable way of testing its AI models. 'For example, we could assess whether our GenAI application was extracting the clinical information accurately from the doctor's colonoscopy report, and if the application was providing the correct recommendation, in line with the clinical guidelines,' he said. Tookitaki founder and chief executive Abhishek Chatterjee told ST the experience helped make the firm's AI model more auditable and allowed the company to incorporate guardrails against AI hallucinations. These are inaccurate or nonsensical results generated due to factors such as insufficient training data. [[nid:693529]] While earlier initiatives had focused on the testing of AI models, the Global AI Assurance Pilot aimed to test the reliability of GenAI in real-world scenarios, said AI Verify Foundation executive director Shameek Kundu. This is important as the information fed to AI can be flawed, he said, giving the example of poor-quality scans from a patient provided to a hospital's AI. The aim is to make the use of GenAI 'boring and predictable', to ensure the technology's reliability for day-to-day use, he said. In a statement, IMDA and AI Verify Foundation said the initiative also showed that human experts were essential at every stage of testing, from designing the right tests to interpreting test results. While the technology may improve in the future, a human touch is still needed for now, said Mr Shameek. 'The technology is not good enough for us to blindly trust and say it's working,' he said. A report detailing the findings is available on AI Verify Foundation's website. In line with the pilot, a testing starter kit for GenAI applications has also been developed, serving as a set of voluntary guidelines for businesses that want to responsibly adopt GenAI. 'It draws on insights from the Global AI Assurance Pilot, tapping the experience of practitioners to ensure the guidance is practical and useful,' said Mr Tan. He added that the kit includes emerging best practices and methodologies for testing GenAI applications, as well as practical guidance on how to conduct such testing. The guidelines will be complemented by testing tools to help developers conduct these tests, which will be made progressively available via IMDA and AI Verify Foundation's Project Moonshot, a toolkit targeted at AI app developers. IMDA is conducting a four-week public consultation on the starter kit, which can be found online. The consultation will end on June 25. Feedback can be e-mailed to aigov@ with the e-mail header 'Comments on the draft Starter Kit for Safety Testing of LLM-Based Applications'. Mr Tan also announced that AI Singapore (AISG) – a national initiative to build the Republic's capabilities in AI – will sign a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to advance AI literacy in developing countries. This partnership will see AISG's AI for Good programme, launched in 2024 to bolster national AI capabilities, expand to an international scale, he said. 'AISG and UNDP will explore initial AI for Good pilots in South-east Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, so that we can support more inclusive participation in AI-driven growth together,' he added. [[nid:714736]] This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
