S'pore shows what's possible when digital innovation is matched with purpose: Britain's Lammy

Straits Times

3 days ago

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SINGAPORE – Singapore has proven over generations that it is not size that determines success but strategic clarity, and this is true too of technology, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on July 12.
'Singapore has shown what's possible when digital innovation is matched with long-term thinking and national purpose,' said Mr Lammy, speaking at the Fullerton Hotel on 'Diplomacy in the Digital Age'.
Mr Lammy, who was on a one-day official visit to the Republic, highlighted how Singapore set up a National Computerisation Committee as early as 1981. He also cited the launch of the whole-of-government Smart Nation initiativ e in 2014, followed by the launch of a National AI Strateg y in 2019.
'Each time, your leaders were ahead of the game. Each time there was a broader lesson,' said Mr Lammy, noting that Singapore did not get ahead by just throwing money at the private sector and hoping for the best.
Instead, serious public capabilities were built through deep technical expertise within the government and investment in areas like compute and data infrastructure, such as Singpass, he added.
'Starting in this job, I said that Britain needed to do more listening and less lecturing. A huge part of my trip this week has been to listen and, I hope, learn lessons on how we can pursue a similarly long-term strategy embracing technology,' said Mr Lammy.
The British Foreign Secretary said any vision for the world of tomorrow must include a specific focus on the intersection of AI and diplomacy.
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He acknowledged this was not yet a staple of foreign ministry and foreign ministers' discussions in his experience.
'But I believe that unless we lift our heads above the rat-race of crises and summits and examine the longer term trends reshaping our world, we will be boiled like the proverbial frog,' he asserted.
Mr Lammy posited that AI was not just the next rung in the technological ladder, but would deliver a paradigm shift in the distribution and exercise of power.
'It will redefine how nations project influence, how threats emerge and how we defend ourselves. It will, therefore, transform how diplomacy is conducted,' he said in his speech.
He underlined that AI would not solve all foreign policy issues, as it could not eliminate risk, nor remove the need for human judgment and the ability of people to build relationships based on trust.
Nevertheless, he argued that diplomacy in 2025 needs machine speed and a human touch, which would help leaders make better decisions amid rising uncertainty.
'These capabilities are not science fiction. They are already being employed,' pointed out Mr Lammy, highlighting the DARPA and KAIROS projects in the United States that simulate complex political developments and anticipate conflict escalation, as well as the use of predictive analytics by Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry to flag risks to critical supply chains.
'The question before us is not whether AI will shape foreign policy. It is who will shape it, and how,' he said.
Given that outside of the US and China, no country had the scale to deliver all the capabilities that decision-makers worldwide need independently, Mr Lammy said the need of the hour was more collaboration and more AI diplomacy within a perimeter of values.
'I want partners such as Britain and Singapore to align standards, share tools and develop models that reflect our shared principles,' he said, while also drawing attention to Britain's other partnerships with the US, the European Union and India.
Mr Lammy concluded his speech by reiterating that Singapore had shown the world the power of long-term thinking and the importance of a vision, and expressed hope that the same approach could be used to break down the silos between foreign policy and technology.
'We live in a volatile world. Technology is reshaping our societies, making power more diffuse,' said Mr Lammy.
'Nations like Britain and Singapore need to equip ourselves with the tools to navigate these shifts and that means fusing AI and diplomacy, focusing on a long view of change and doubling down on our shared interests.'
Mr Lammy's first visit to Singapore as foreign secretary 'reaffirms the substantive and longstanding relationship' between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a press statement.
During the course of the day, Mr Lammy paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, who affirmed the strong and multifaceted relationship between Singapore and Britain. This includes cooperation in areas like trade and investment, defence and security, and science and technology, MFA said.
They also discussed developments in the UK, and exchanged views on geopolitical issues, including trade and the situation in the Middle East.
Mr Lammy was hosted to lunch by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, during which the two leaders reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties shared by Singapore and the UK, which celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.
The duo discussed ways to strengthen UK-Singapore bilateral cooperation in areas like trade and investment, AI and innovation.
Dr Balakrishnan welcomed Mr Lammy's stated intent for Britain to step up its engagement with Asean, and the ministers also exchanged views on international and regional developments.
They also reaffirmed the shared commitment of both countries to uphold and strengthen international law and the multilateral trading system.
Mr Lammy also met Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who is Minister for Trade and Industry and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
DPM Gan welcomed the UK's investment of £70 million (S$ 121 million) in Singapore's Financing Asia's Transition Partnership (FAST-P) initiative earlier this year, which is aimed at supporting green and transition financing in the region.