Introducing OpenAI Singapore
May 20, 2026
Introducing OpenAI Singapore
Today, at the ATx Summit in Singapore, we officially announced OpenAI Singapore, a partnership with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) to support Singapore’s national AI strategy.
Singapore has emerged as a global leader in AI, placing AI at the center of economic growth, public services, and the way people learn, work, and create. Early on, Singapore recognized AI’s potential to become foundational infrastructure for the economy and society, driving productivity, creativity, scientific progress, and economic opportunity.
As intelligence becomes more like a public utility, OpenAI Singapore is intended to support Singapore’s ambition to build an AI-driven economy. Backed by more than S$300 million in investment, this initiative will focus on three key areas:
- Helping organizations in Singapore adopt cutting-edge AI to solve their toughest challenges
- Building the next generation of AI talent locally
- Helping more individuals and businesses benefit from AI
“We’re honored to work alongside Singapore in further strengthening its position as a global AI leader. Singapore has outstanding technical talent, trusted institutions, and a clear vision for how AI can drive long-term growth and improve lives. Through OpenAI Singapore, we look forward to helping more organizations benefit from cutting-edge AI, supporting the growth of the next generation of local AI talent, and expanding access to these tools across the country.”
— Denise Dresser, Chief Revenue Officer, OpenAI
Cutting-edge deployment in support of Singapore’s national AI priorities
At the heart of this collaboration is the establishment of our Applied AI Lab in Singapore. This will be OpenAI’s first lab outside the United States. Specifically, OpenAI will create more than 200 technical roles in Singapore over the next few years, making the country one of our global hubs for Forward-Deployed Engineers.
Forward-Deployed Engineers work at the intersection of frontier research and real-world deployment. They partner directly with organizations to solve their hardest problems and unlock new sources of value.
Through this partnership, the lab will support work aligned with Singapore’s AI mission priorities, with a particular focus on public services, finance, healthcare, and digital infrastructure. As this work progresses and the Singapore team grows, we expect to expand our local office space in phases as well.
“As AI transforms our economy, businesses and workforce, Singapore’s response is deliberate and clear: nurture emerging industries, anchor world-leading companies here, and ensure our people can acquire the skills needed to thrive in this new environment. This collaboration with OpenAI embodies the Government’s efforts to strengthen Singapore’s AI capabilities, catalyse AI adoption across businesses and create quality jobs for Singaporeans.”
— Mr Chng Kai Fong, Permanent Secretary (Digital Development and Information)
“We are very pleased that OpenAI has chosen to expand its applied AI engineering capabilities in Singapore through the launch of OpenAI Singapore. This investment brings exciting opportunities for our people and underscores Singapore’s growing importance as a trusted global hub for AI innovation and development in the region. We look forward to working with OpenAI to harness these capabilities to support broader AI adoption across the Singapore economy.”
— Philbert Gomez, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Industry Singapore
Developing the next generation of AI talent in Singapore
Through OpenAI Singapore, we will work with government and ecosystem partners across the region to help build the skills Singapore needs for an AI-shaped future. This includes:
- Working with the Ministry of Education and GovTech to develop AI-enabled learning use cases and tools, including more interactive support for mother tongue learning
- Supporting educators through a Singapore edition of OpenAI Academy and a Codex hackathon for teachers
- Launching a training program for Forward-Deployed Engineers to help build local AI deployment talent
- Participating in the National AI Impact Programme to further strengthen the AI capabilities of the technical community, including through the use of Codex
Taken together, these efforts are designed to help build the skills foundation Singapore needs to move into the next phase of AI adoption.
Helping more Singaporeans and businesses benefit from AI
The benefits of AI should reach every layer of the economy, not only the largest companies or the people building the technology.
Through OpenAI Singapore, we will work with local partners to help more people and businesses across the Singapore economy benefit from AI. This includes exploring accelerator programs for AI-native startups and hosting workshops with microentrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises.
These efforts are grounded in real-world adoption. They will help founders build with AI, while enabling small and medium-sized businesses to improve operations and better serve their customers.
OpenAI Singapore is more than a technology initiative; it is an effort for people. By investing in cutting-edge deployment, the next generation of AI talent, and broader access across the economy, we aim to be a long-term partner in Singapore’s transition to an AI-ready economy, supporting practical, responsible, and broadly shared progress.