French multinational Thales to launch AI centre in Singapore
Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo speaks at the France-Singapore Frontier Technologies Forum 2025 on May 30. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
SINGAPORE – French aerospace and defence giant Thales will set up a new artificial intelligence (AI) centre in Singapore to develop AI solutions for critical environments and strengthen its research and development capabilities.
Solutions that are developed at the cortAIx (pronounced 'cortex') centre will benefit the company's global network, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo at the France-Singapore Frontier Technologies Forum, held at the Fullerton Hotel on May 30.
The Singapore centre will be Thales' fourth cortAIx site, after France, Canada and Britain, said Thales cortAIx factory vice-president Mickael Brossard. Launched in 2024, cortAIx is an initiative by the French firm to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence for aircraft, armed forces and critical infrastructure, bringing together experts in the sector.
Thales, which has operated in Singapore since 1973 and currently conducts manufacturing and maintenance here, among other activities , also signed a deal with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore on May 30 to set up an International Avionics Lab here in 2026, to develop and test new solutions for air traffic management and airport operations. These agreements were among several between French and local organisations that were unveiled at the forum.
Mrs Teo announced that France's National Centre for Scientific Research, through its centre at the National University of Singapore's Create facility, will participate in Singapore's National Robotics Programme to strengthen research in embodied AI. Embodied AI is the integration of artificial intelligence with physical systems.
The collaboration will be supported with funding of $20 million, Mrs Teo said.
(From left) Mistral AI VP Revenue Geoff Soon, cortAIx Factory VP Mickael Brossard, CNRS CEO and President Antoine Petit, HTC Assistant Chief Executive, Chief AI Officer Ang Chee Wee, ST Engineering Group CTO Lee Shiang Long and AI Singapore AI Innovation director Laurence Liew during a panel discussion at the France-Singapore Frontier Technologies Forum 2025 on May 30.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Meanwhile, French start-up Mistral AI will partner with ST Engineering on applied AI engineering, she added. This comes on top of a tie-up between Mistral AI, the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) and Microsoft to enhance Home Team operations, announced on May 26. In January, the start-up said it had plans to set up a Singapore office.
Mrs Teo also announced that aerospace giant Airbus will work with Singapore's Economic Development Board and the Infocomm Media Development Authority to jointly develop potential applications for a 5G-non-terrestrial network, in which satellites and other high-altitude platforms are used to extend 5G coverage and functionality. 'They aim to reduce time lag and quicken responsiveness of AI systems, so they can be deployed in more scenarios,' she said.
French energy company Engie will also partner with transport operator SBS Transit on reducing the carbon footprint of public transport, Mrs Teo said.
Singapore and France are both strong proponents of multilateralism, she said. 'Our world is becoming more fractious and unpredictable. Yet, Singapore and France have continued to support an open and inclusive trading system,' she said. 'While tariff-induced uncertainties persist, French businesses operating in Singapore can continue to benefit from the Asean Free Trade Area, which makes it more cost-effective for French businesses in Singapore to export and source goods from this region,' said Mrs Teo.
Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, National Robotics Programme Executive Director (Designate) Tung Meng Fai, CNRS CEO and President Antoine Petit, and French Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs Clara Chappaz at the bilateral agreement presentation on May 30.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Ms Clara Chappaz, France's Minister Delegate for artificial intelligence and digital technologies, said the two countries had a common mission not only to see technology develop, but to see it used for the common good.
Speaking at the event, Minister-in-charge of Energy, and Science and Technology Tan See Leng noted that ties between the two countries were 'underpinned by strong economic cooperation that has grown steadily over the years'.
Manpower Minister and Minister in charge of Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng speaking at the France-Singapore Frontier Technologies Forum 2025 on May 30.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
France is currently the Republic's second-largest goods trading partner and third-largest investor among EU member states, Dr Tan said, adding that more than 2,600 French firms operate here.
'Since the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) entered into force in 2019, bilateral goods trade has grown by around 10 per cent to exceed $21 billion in 2024. Bilateral services trade also expanded by around 20 per cent to surpass $8 billion in 2023,' he said.
The announcements were made in conjunction with a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Singapore.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had earlier announced the two countries would upgrade their bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which would deepen cooperation in existing sectors as well expand collaboration in new areas such as decarbonisation.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
12 hours ago
- CNA
Lyon owner Textor to step back from club management
PHILADELPHIA :American businessman John Textor plans to step back from the day-to-day management of Olympique Lyonnais following the club's relegation to Ligue 2, which was confirmed after a meeting with French football's financial watchdog (DNCG) this week. Textor, who owns the French club through his Eagle Football Group, revealed his decision in an interview with Brazil's TV Globo on Saturday, shortly before his Brazilian side Botafogo lost 1-0 to Palmeiras in the Club World Cup, saying he could have dealt better with French football politics. Lyon's demotion was provisionally announced by the DNCG in November due to financial irregularities and was confirmed on Tuesday. Textor said the club would appeal against the decision and that Lyon's financial position remained strong despite the ruling. "I will tell you that we're very well capitalised in France," Textor told TV Globo. "It's clear that I've been much better on the pitch than managing France. I have not been so good at the politics of France. I think that's well known. So the process is, for me, as an American capitalist, adjusting to that system." Textor said his focus would shift towards broader responsibilities within Eagle Football Group which also includes Botafogo and formerly included a 43 per cent stake in English club Crystal Palace, sold earlier this week. "I am going to spend a lot more time focusing on Eagle Global, coming back frankly a bit more to Botafogo," he said. "I've got very good partners in the Eagle Football Group shareholders who are going to take a lead on dealing with some of the issues that I have frankly not been very good at dealing with." Despite Lyon's relegation, Textor highlighted the club's recent achievements, including back-to-back qualifications for the Europa League, and reassured fans about their financial stability. "We've never been more liquid in cash. But there are things in the process I did that disappointed the governing bodies there that we need to fix," Textor said. "We did pass through the financial sustainability review with UEFA, which is quite a comprehensive process. So the fact that we didn't pass through France has more to do with some of the specific elements that I brought to the table that I should have improved." Textor hinted at a potential acquisition in the United Kingdom to replace the Crystal Palace stake. "We have our U.K. strategy where we need to look at who our new club is. What are we going to buy there? What's the partnership? Because it's that collaboration between the clubs that's been so successful for us," he said.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Lyon owner Textor to step back from club management
PHILADELPHIA - American businessman John Textor plans to step back from the day-to-day management of Olympique Lyonnais following the club's relegation to Ligue 2, which was confirmed after a meeting with French football's financial watchdog (DNCG) this week. Textor, who owns the French club through his Eagle Football Group, revealed his decision in an interview with Brazil's TV Globo on Saturday, shortly before his Brazilian side Botafogo lost 1-0 to Palmeiras in the Club World Cup, saying he could have dealt better with French football politics. Lyon's demotion was provisionally announced by the DNCG in November due to financial irregularities and was confirmed on Tuesday. Textor said the club would appeal against the decision and that Lyon's financial position remained strong despite the ruling. "I will tell you that we're very well capitalised in France," Textor told TV Globo. "It's clear that I've been much better on the pitch than managing France. I have not been so good at the politics of France. I think that's well known. So the process is, for me, as an American capitalist, adjusting to that system." Textor said his focus would shift towards broader responsibilities within Eagle Football Group which also includes Botafogo and formerly included a 43% stake in English club Crystal Palace, sold earlier this week. "I am going to spend a lot more time focusing on Eagle Global, coming back frankly a bit more to Botafogo," he said. "I've got very good partners in the Eagle Football Group shareholders who are going to take a lead on dealing with some of the issues that I have frankly not been very good at dealing with." Despite Lyon's relegation, Textor highlighted the club's recent achievements, including back-to-back qualifications for the Europa League, and reassured fans about their financial stability. "We've never been more liquid in cash. But there are things in the process I did that disappointed the governing bodies there that we need to fix," Textor said. "We did pass through the financial sustainability review with UEFA, which is quite a comprehensive process. So the fact that we didn't pass through France has more to do with some of the specific elements that I brought to the table that I should have improved." Textor hinted at a potential acquisition in the United Kingdom to replace the Crystal Palace stake. "We have our U.K. strategy where we need to look at who our new club is. What are we going to buy there? What's the partnership? Because it's that collaboration between the clubs that's been so successful for us," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
First gen farmers: Why they choose to grow a career in farming
First gen farmers: Why they choose to grow a career in farming Mr Leonard Teo developed a love for greens as a boy, but often found locally bought vegetables harsh on his palate. 'They had a bitter taste, and my mother ended up buying expensive organic vegetables for me,' said the owner of Straits Agriculture, a five-year-old aeroponics and hydroponics farm in Jurong that produces xiao bai cai, nai bai, curly kale and mizuna, among others. Mr Teo also grows rosemary at his farm. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI 'I thought, why not try to grow fresh and sweet-tasting vegetables so that I can eat them and Singaporeans can also purchase them at an affordable price?' The Nanyang Technological University graduate's dream took off in 2020, when he rented a 35 sq m plot of land for about $20,000 in Henderson to start his venture . After stabilising his operations, he later invested in a rooftop farm in Jurong that cost him $250,000 to set up in January 2022 . While the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) does not track the number of first-time farmers in the country, Mr Teo, 25, is one of the three young farmers who ventured into the agricultural sector during Covid-19. Mr Teo , who entered university the same year, struggled to balance school and work. Mr Teo takes home a mid three-digit salary each month from running the farm. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI 'There was no juggling. I woke up at 8am, went to class till 6pm and headed to my farm to work till about 3am. It was either do or die,' said Mr Teo, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in aerospace engineering. Mr Teo's mother, Ms Eileen Tan , who helps deliver the vegetables to his customers, said she feels bad that he has to work so hard, but is glad that this venture has built his character. 'I'm pretty proud of what he has accomplished so far,' she said. A desire to contribute Two other first-time farmers also ventured into the trade after witnessing the impact of Covid-19 on food security in Singapore, which imports more than 90 per cent of its food. While the country's key strategy is to diversify its sources, then Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said in a written parliamentary reply in April 2020 that the pandemic had 'severely diminished global production capacities and disrupted global supply chains' . This prompted Mr John Ong, founder of Spore Gardens , a farm that produces mushrooms in a 130 sq m office space in Whampoa , to make the switch from aerospace engineering to farming. Mr Ong grows a variety of mushrooms in his farm, including the Lion's Mane, Royal Trumpet, Golden Oak Shitake, Sakura Pink Oyster, Golden Yellow Oyster and Yanagi Matsutake. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG 'Many people were panic buying during the pandemic, and while doing my own shopping, I noticed that there was a shortage of fresh produce at the supermarkets, and later realised that Singapore may have a supply chain issue in this area,' he said. After some research, the 40-year-old , who described himself as an 'accidental' farmer, opted to focus on producing mushrooms, which he felt was overlooked. He started to grow Lion's Mane mushrooms at home before investing $100,000 to kick-start the business officially. Five years on, the father of two young children, aged three and six , said he was grateful that his wife, a dermatologist , supported him making the switch then. Mr Ong , who grows six or seven types of mushrooms at his farm, supplies about 1,000kg of mushrooms to restaurants and caterers each month . He is in the midst of moving to a new 380 sq m farm in Changi , which is about three times larger than his original space. The entrepreneur, who now runs the farm with his partner, Mr Fred Soh, said sales have been doing well and the company broke even early in 2025. Mr John Ong met his business partner, Mr Fred Soh, about eight months after he founded Spore Gardens. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Another farmer whose business appears to have taken off is M r Webster Tham, 34, from Tomato Town, a business that grows tomatoes, kale and basil. Mr Tham , who runs the farms with two other partners , said the trio started by managing a 75 sq m plot. This has grown to a 6,000 sq m plot in the last five years . Their produce can be found in 70 FairPrice outlets, where they are priced between $4 and $4.50 per packet . One of Mr Tham's farms is located at a rooftop carpark in Jurong West. The Straits Times A spokesperson for FairPrice said it has observed a significant increase in demand for Tomato Town's products across its stores over the last six months, compared with the same period in 2024. Mr Tham hopes his experience can encourage young people not to shy away from the industry. 'Farming is still hard work, but technology is there to reduce some of the laborious tasks traditional farmers have to take on. We hope young people give it a chance,' he said. Fresh perspectives Despite the efforts of new entrants, local production remains at less than 10 per cent of the country's total food consumption. While these farms remain small in scale, their true contribution lies in the innovations they bring to the agri-food sector, said research scientist Teo Shaun Hao . 'By developing and testing new farming methods, technologies, and crop varieties suited for urban environments, they help push the boundaries of what is possible in land-scarce Singapore,' said Mr Teo, who works at the Agriculture Research and Innovation Centre at Republic Polytechnic . Young farmers' savviness in leveraging social media platforms also helps them to connect directly with consumers, allowing them to build trust and promote their products more effectively, he added. However, Professor Veera Sekaran from the National University of Singapore's Department of Biological Sciences remained cautious about the value of those skills. 'No amount of social media is going to help the farmers if they do not understand the industry and the reality of the business of growing crops and bringing them to the marketplace to make profits,' said the director of Regenerative Agritech Centre . Challenges remain Since 2019, Singapore has aspired to produce 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030, but it was revealed in Parliament in March that the target is being reviewed. In 2024, 3 per cent of vegetables consumed were grown locally, down from 3.2 per cent in 2023, according to the Singapore Food Statistics report. In the same year, there were 153 farms on land – most of which grew vegetables – down from 156 the year before. In an interview with The Straits Times in May, SFA chief executive Damian Chan said the drop in local production of vegetables is due to factors like higher operating costs, especially energy costs, a weaker investment climate in high-tech farming and farms facing challenges in securing sales. He added that local produce typically costs more than imported ones, and shoppers tend to opt for more affordable leafy greens and fish, affecting demand. Besides the challenges highlighted by SFA, the farmers hope the authorities can also look into reducing the administrative barriers that impede others' entry into the industry. Mr Teo from Straits Agriculture proposed a one-stop service portal to be set up for farmers to submit their applications for various licences, a sentiment echoed by Mr Ong. 'This will allow us to focus on the operations of the farm,' he said. While SFA did not say if it is considering setting up a one-stop service portal, it has put in place other measures, includein g customising solutions via its Technical Advisory Programme and developing industry guides to help farmers understand how to set up land-based and sea-based farms. Farmers can also tap the GoBusiness portal to apply for grants and additional licences to sell or process their produce, such as by turning them into salads or fish fillets, added SFA. What keeps them going Despite the challenges, the farmers said they are buoyed by the support they receive from their families and customers. 'When chefs tell me that the items we provide are some of the best mushrooms they've used, that really puts a smile on my face,' said Mr Ong. Sakura Pink Oyster mushrooms, which have a subtly woody taste with a hint of seafood and a peppery finish, are one type of mushrooms Mr Ong supplies to restaurants. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Mr Teo, who is funded by a European investor and earns a mid four-figure sum for the farm each month, shared similar views. One of his long-time customers, who has been buying his vegetables since her family discovered his farm in 2022, even sent her teenage daughter to his farm to experience what it is like to run a farm, a gesture that he appreciated. For Mr Tham, it was his father Ray Tham's gesture of love that kept him thriving. Mr Tham's father, Mr Ray Tham, helps his son maintain his farms. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 'He touched me by deciding to take up a diploma in agriculture at RP to help me out at the farm,' he said. The older Mr Tham, who initially doubted his son's venture, later decided to support him by assisting with maintenance work at the farms. An engineer by training, the 67-year-old manager of the farms is happy to see his son's business take off. 'It is not very successful yet, but I'm proud to see some success,' he said. Next steps Having solved his initial hurdles, Mr Tham hopes to increase his production by maximising the growth of his plants. 'We're looking into ways to develop a suitable temperature that will 'trick' our plants into thinking that they are in a cooler climate in order to boost growth,' he said, adding that his farms currently produce 3 tonnes of leafy greens monthly. Mr Tham grows kale, basil and tomatoes at his farms. The Straits Times Similarly, Mr Ong looks to expand the variety of mushrooms in his new farm and eventually supply them to wet markets and supermarkets. Mr Ong (left) and Ms Audrey Chong, head of marketing of Spore Gardens, travel to different farmers' markets around Singapore to sell their produce. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG For Mr Teo, he is considering moving his farm out of Singapore to places that are more cost- and infrastructure-friendly to continue with his business once his lease is up in 2028. 'But before that, I hope to be able to work with the authorities to reduce the amount of admin work that our farmers need to do and focus on increasing our yield to be effective in contributing to our country's food security situation.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
