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.

The 4-day stakeholders’ strategy workshop with the theme “Developing the High-Level Strategy and Implementation Plan for a National AI Strategy in Nigeria”, had in attendance, key industry players from the private sector, public and global experts who brainstormed on the transformative potential of AI in reshaping societies worldwide.

In his opening remark, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, the minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, reminded participants of their collective responsibility in harnessing the power of AI for the betterment of humanity and urged them to embrace a future where connectivity and innovation serve as catalysts for national and global development.

While highlighting the profound impact of digital technology on human interactions and societal norms, he emphasized the need for inclusive participation in shaping the trajectory of AI development.

“Digital technologies are also quite transformational because of their scope. Not only do they connect, but they allow us to transform nearly every aspect of our lives as humans,” he added.

The Minister emphasised that inclusive dialogue and cooperation are  essential elements in shaping a future where AI serves the collective good.

He called for unity among the participants embrace conflicting views that could emanate from their brainstorming on AI development.

While challenging participants to rise above ideological differences and embrace a vision of AI that transcends national boundaries, Dr Tijani averred that “I’m challenging each one of us that will participate in this workshop not to be too focused on strategies in building AI that is limited to Nigeria or Africa but to the world.”

“Let us show leadership globally so that the world could be converging and not diverging when we talk AI  because these set of technology tools and products that will be built from this workshop can be used across borders,” he noted.

In his remark, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, the Ministry’s permanent secretary, stated that AI has the potential to transform the Nigeria’s economy in different sectors from enhancing healthcare to increasing productivity in agriculture and government operational efficiency as well as increasing educational development.

“As we gather here, we are not just proud of this AI strategy for Nigeria, we are laying the foundation for the future where AI is going to be an integral part of all aspects of Nigerians’ lives.”

He said, “It is essential that we develop a strategy that is not only theoretically sound but also practical and implementable within the general context, while taking into cognisance, our cultural values, traditions, norms and specific needs to increase our national security and sovereignty.”

Earlier, in his welcome address, Kashifu Inuwa, the director general, National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) emphasised the significance of leveraging AI not only as technological tool but as a catalyst for broader societal change.

The DG underscored the imperative of harnessing the transformative potential of AI for the betterment of Nigerian society with emphasis on not only developing a strategy for AI but also developing a strategy with AI.

“Our vision for this strategy is clear. It is to harness the power of AI to derive values from it while harnessing its potential and avoiding its errors,” he noted.

While stating that technology is like a double-edged sword with its promises and pitfalls, Inuwa said that the uniqueness of the workshop is not only to discuss but to actively share ideas through cognitive processes.

“This approach is fundamental because it will help us to use our diverse insights and expertise in creating a strategy that will be inclusive as well as reflecting our national consensus,” he averred.

The NITDA DG asserted that the strategy would help in making significant advancements toward achieving Mr President’s economic transformation in priority areas of national security, boosting agriculture to achieve food security, increasing the nation’s GDP, unlocking energy and transportation potentials as well as improving the healthcare sector among many others.

“Our success depends on our ability to work together across government, academia, industry and civil society in bringing our unique perspectives to this strategy which will help us craft not just an innovative strategy but a practicable and implementable strategy that will lay a foundation for a prosperous nation for Nigerians,” he concluded.

The highlight of the workshop was the breakout sessions with industry and global experts sharing insights on contextualising AI strategy, setting directional beacons for Nigeria’s AI, developing a national vision and goal setting for AI in Nigeria.

At the end of the workshop, participants who were grouped into syndicates which include; AI Ethics and Social Impact, AI Infrastructure and Ecosystem in Talent, AI Talent and Workforce Development, AI Research and Innovation, AI Adoption and Sector Focus, AI Policy and Governance, AI International Collaboration and Engagement, AI Safety and Regulations gave presentations on various strategic initiatives, roadmap development and thematic visioning needed for the development of a robust AI Strategy document.

While giving his vote of thanks, Dr Tijani thanked NITDA, Nigerian Communications Commission, Galaxy Backbone, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Data Science Nigeria, Microsoft, Google, Meta, the academia and a host of other public and private organisations for their invaluable contribution to the success of the workshop.

Expressing his excitement at the active engagement by participants at the workshop where in-depth ideas and experiences were shared, he said that he was confident that a robust National AI Strategy which Nigerians can derive value from will be developed for the benefit of the nation and the world.