IBM and NUS to Launch Research and Innovation Centre to Propel AI Advancements in Singapore

Singapore, August 15, 2024 – During the IBM Think Singapore 2024 event, IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) announced their intention to collaborate on establishing a cutting-edge AI research and innovation centre. This initiative aims to accelerate scientific advancements by utilising IBM’s comprehensive AI infrastructure, including its renowned Granite series of open-source models. The centre, planned to be located at the NUS School of Computing, is envisioned as the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region, featuring a full-stack AI infrastructure system provided by IBM.

This proposed collaboration highlights Singapore’s strong commitment to its National AI Strategy by fostering partnerships between the research and innovation ecosystem and industry leaders like IBM. With robust AI infrastructure and the combined research expertise of NUS and IBM, the centre aims to become a hub for innovation. It will serve as a platform for Singaporean agencies, academic and research institutions, and companies to conduct pioneering AI research with significant practical applications.

A key objective of the centre will be to promote a sustainability-focused “open innovation” approach, aimed at broadening the adoption of AI technologies. Additionally, the partnership intends to develop tools and methodologies that enhance trust in AI, ensuring that these technologies are reliable and widely accepted.

Advanced AI accelerators from IBM and a wide range of open-source, cloud-native, and end-to-end software solutions will power AI research in the future.

IBM and NUS plan to implement a full-stack AI-optimised computing infrastructure at NUS, featuring IBM AIU accelerators designed for efficient AI workload processing. This infrastructure will operate on the IBM watsonx data and AI platform, alongside the Red Hat hybrid cloud platform. By leveraging NUS’s expertise, this collaboration aims to drive significant advancements in AI, leading to more powerful, efficient, and adaptable AI systems capable of tackling increasingly complex challenges.

Priya Nagpurkar, Vice President of Hybrid Cloud and AI Platform at IBM Research, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “We are delighted to take this initial step with NUS to drive groundbreaking AI research. Both IBM and NUS share a commitment to fostering innovation in AI and sustainable computing, and we eagerly anticipate the progress this partnership will bring.”

Professor Liu Bin, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology), also shared his enthusiasm, saying, “This collaboration with IBM is an exciting opportunity for us. We believe that an open ecosystem is crucial for harnessing collective intelligence. Building on the new NUS AI Institute, which was announced earlier this year, and our dedication to green computing and sustainability, we aim to lead efforts in meeting the growing industry demand for AI expertise, nurturing a strong talent pool, and contributing to Singapore’s decarbonisation goals.”

Supporting the growth of local deep-tech startups

As part of the proposed collaboration, the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Programme (GRIP) – a deep-tech entrepreneurship initiative, along with local startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will have access to the AI Innovation Platform. This platform, supported by Red Hat OpenShift AI for management and runtime needs and IBM’s watsonx platform, is designed to provide a comprehensive solution that fosters innovation and growth within Singapore’s deep-tech ecosystem.