AI is about to get a body. How can we be ready?
Singapore has an opportunity to position itself as a critical node in robotics and adjacent industries.
Singapore holds the potential to become a pivotal player in robotics and related fields. In my laboratory at the National University of Singapore (NUS), we are working on creating electronic skins for machines using soft materials that can accurately identify objects, respond to touch faster than human nerves, and repair themselves when damaged.
Earlier in my career, my work seemed like science fiction to many, but now the technology is gaining traction. In September 2024, a single California-based humanoid robot company, Figure AI, raised $1 billion in funding, securing a valuation of $39 billion, which accounted for over a fifth of the $4.6 billion raised by all Singapore startups in the same year.
In 2025, China unveiled national standards for humanoid robots and embodied AI, targeting 10,000 commercial humanoid robots by the end of the year. To become a critical node in this emerging sector, Singapore must focus on developing unique technologies, robust know-how, and specialized equipment design, which will be guarded by a substantial portfolio of trade secrets.
The upcoming 2030 Research, Innovation, and Enterprise (RIE) plan earmarks S$800 million to translate semiconductor research into products that will likely be integral to robots and AI data centers. This investment will primarily focus on advancing chip packaging technologies and enhancing optical links for data transfer between chips.
However, the pace of technological advancements is accelerating due to AI, necessitating that Singapore be prepared to rapidly recalibrate and increase investment as needed. By developing proprietary semiconductor technology companies within Singapore, the nation can generate high-value jobs in the new AI economy. Established deep-tech firms, like ASML, invest heavily upfront to establish high-volume manufacturing capabilities, often generating higher profits per employee compared to traditional financial services.
Singapore's significant investment in critical deep-tech sectors could not only restructure the economy but also create more high-value jobs. To achieve this, Singapore's universities and education system must step up by attracting and nurturing high-quality talent and creating a streamlined, low-friction process for launching deep-tech startups from academic research.
The National Graduate Research Innovation Programme, which launched in 2025, already fosters collaboration among universities and research institutes and aims to harmonize intellectual property licensing terms, reducing barriers to translating academic research into commercial applications.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
