Countries can find common ground on AI safeguards, incident reporting: Tan Kiat How
There needs to be credible ways in evaluating the capabilities of capable models, he said.
Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How urged countries to find common ground on artificial intelligence (AI) safeguards at the FutureChina Global Forum 2026. He emphasized the importance of evaluation, safeguards, incident reporting, and communication to prevent reckless competition. Tan highlighted that countries should not regulate AI in the same way but build common ground around practical aspects.
Key areas for agreement include credible methods to evaluate AI models' capabilities, establishing when additional safeguards should be implemented, and agreeing on incident reporting and information sharing. He stressed the need for communication channels to remain open, even during intense competition. Tan also shared Singapore's perspective on the global AI race, advocating for becoming "exceptionally good" at converting AI capability into economic and societal value rather than simply accumulating AI capacity.
He suggested that Singapore should become a hub where technology companies collaborate closely with demanding users and engineers tackle real operational problems. Trust will be crucial as AI systems become more autonomous, as highlighted by concerns over AI agents making purchases on behalf of individuals or tracing their actions.
Singapore's chief AI officer, He Ruimin, cautioned against focusing solely on the possibility of autonomous AI systems running wild and urged societies to prioritize securing their digital systems against cybercriminals.
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