The company announced the move on Wednesday during the ATx Summit in Singapore, where it also launched “OpenAI for Singapore”, a partnership with the country’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI).

Under the initiative, OpenAI said it will commit more than S$300 million to Singapore and create about 200 technical roles over the next few years.

The company added that Singapore will become one of its global bases for Forward-Deployed Engineers, teams that work directly with businesses and public institutions to deploy AI systems.

The new lab will support projects tied to Singapore’s national AI priorities, especially in public services, healthcare, finance and digital infrastructure.

Denise Dresser, chief revenue officer at OpenAI, said the company sees Singapore as a key market because of its technical talent and long-term AI ambitions.

“We’re excited to partner with Singapore as it builds on its position as a global leader in AI,” she said.

“Singapore has strong technical talent, trusted institutions, and a clear ambition to use AI to drive long-term growth and improve people’s lives.”

She added: “Through OpenAI for Singapore, we want to help more organisations benefit from frontier AI, support the next generation of local AI talent, and widen access to these tools across the country.”

Singapore has spent the past few years positioning itself as a neutral and trusted centre for AI development in Asia. The government has steadily increased spending on AI research and infrastructure while encouraging global technology firms to expand operations in the country.

Authorities earlier pledged S$1 billion between 2025 and 2030 to strengthen public AI research capabilities. Tech giants including Google, Nvidia, AWS and Microsoft have also announced AI-related investments and partnerships in Singapore.

Alongside the OpenAI AI Lab deal, Singapore recently unveiled a National AI Partnership with Google focused on education, healthcare and enterprise innovation. Nvidia is also establishing a new AI research lab in the country to work with universities and government agencies.

The partnership with OpenAI will also include education and workforce programmes. OpenAI said it plans to work with Singapore’s Ministry of Education and GovTech on AI-powered learning tools, including support for Mother Tongue language learning.

The company will also launch a Singapore chapter of the OpenAI Academy, organise Codex hackathons for teachers and introduce a training programme for Forward-Deployed Engineers.

Singapore’s Permanent Secretary for Digital Development and Information, Chng Kai Fong, said the partnership shows the government’s drive to prepare its workforce and economy for AI adoption.

“With AI reshaping economies, businesses and the workforce, Singapore’s response has been deliberate: growing new sectors, anchoring global frontier companies here, and equipping our people with the skills to thrive in this new environment,” he said.

“This partnership with OpenAI reflects the Government’s commitment to developing Singapore’s AI capabilities, strengthening enterprise adoption of AI, and securing good jobs for Singaporeans.”

OpenAI said it also plans to support smaller businesses and startups through workshops, accelerator programmes and practical AI adoption initiatives.

Countries are currently competing to attract AI investment, talent and infrastructure. Singapore is not left out, standing alongside hubs such as London, Dubai and Silicon Valley to lead AI development.

Recent data from Slack’s Workforce Index showed that about 52% of workers in Singapore already use AI tools in their jobs, underlining how quickly adoption is spreading across the country’s economy.

• Partnership will empower Prudential’s 15,000 employees to use AI to better serve its customers, with end-to-end support from Google Cloud
• New ‘AI Lab’ will initially focus on use cases that deliver better healthcare experiences and operational excellence

Prudential plc (Prudential) and Google Cloud has announced an expanded strategic partnership to build innovative AI-powered products and applications that will help enhance customer, agent and employee experiences.

Google Cloud will support Prudential’s new AI Lab – the first partnership of its kind for the insurance industry in Asia and Africa – which will focus on solving business and customer challenges.

Launching later this year, the AI Lab is designed to accelerate Prudential’s adoption of machine learning, AI and generative AI (gen AI), while also driving progress towards Prudential’s strategic priorities of: Delivering a better customer experience; Driving technology-powered distribution; and Improving access to affordable, quality healthcare

The Lab will provide Prudential’s 15,000 employees with a new sandbox environment and step-by-step process for turning their ideas into scalable AI products and applications.

This includes access to leading large language models, advanced and secure gen AI and data analytics solutions, and end-to-end Cloud provision.

The partnership presents an opportunity to shape the future of AI in life and health insurance.

Supported by Google Cloud’s deep expertise in health-focused AI, the Lab will initially prioritise ways of using AI to provide improved access to quality healthcare, while supporting agents’ ability to deliver a seamless and personalised customer experience.

The Lab will also focus on using AI to improve operating processes – with the goal of delivering a better experience for customers, agents and employees alike, and driving new, bottom-line efficiencies.

Anil Wadhwani, chief executive officer, Prudential PLC, said:

“Prudential is committed to leveraging technological innovation to create value for all our stakeholders. We are actively using data, advanced analytics and AI to create an exceptional customer and agent experience – while helping us work smarter and faster. Our expanded partnership with Google Cloud will unlock the innovation and creativity of our 15,000 employees and increase our speed to market, particularly in health insurance, where we see tremendous growth opportunities. By deepening our collaboration, we will build the future of insurance for our customers.”

Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud, said:

“Generative AI represents a significant opportunity to drive innovation in the insurance industry. Our collaboration with Prudential and the launch of its AI Lab will help to reimagine customer experiences, optimise operations, and unlock new growth possibilities. Google Cloud is committed to providing the AI and data analytics capabilities, as well as the expertise needed to support Prudential’s vision for the future of insurance.”

Based in Singapore, the AI Lab will also partner with institutes of higher learning, research centres, promising start-ups and AI experts.

This launch deepens the working relationship between Prudential and Google Cloud that was established in 2019.

With the aim of driving better insurance, health, and financial outcomes across Asia and Africa, both organisations have been collaborating on digital transformation initiatives that have the potential to benefit millions globally.