By: Aryeh Savir & Gil Tanenbaum
Israel and Singapore signed an agreement to collaborate on Artificial Intelligence (AI), a move that will benefit the development and deployment of AI in both countries.
Israel’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Orit Farkash HaCohen, signed a cooperation agreement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday in Jerusalem.
Singapore is considered a leading country in the field of high-tech and AI.
The agreement was signed against the background of the global race for leadership in the field of AI, with the aim of strengthening Israel in this strategic field, which has become a platform and infrastructure for the world economies.
The agreement is part of the promotion of Israel’s National Artificial Intelligence Program, and includes AI collaborations in the areas of food, agriculture, health, education, sustainability and transport between countries.
The two countries stated they are interested in cooperating to “ensure their ability to realize the benefits of artificial intelligence and minimize the risks of using it,” through the exchange of information, including practices, policies, plans, laws and regulations, development of research and collaborative development initiatives, and the exchanges of researchers, academics and students.
Singapore is one of Israel’s most important partners with one of the tightest security cooperation relationships. Singapore is also a high-tech powerhouse in East Asia, as well as a powerhouse supporting the high-tech industry through the government investment fund, Israel’s Ministry of Innovation noted.
Israel has had diplomatic relations with Singapore since 1969. Israel has an embassy in Singapore. Singapore is represented in Israel by a non–resident ambassador and through an honorary consulate in Tel Aviv.
In recent years, Singapore has been trying harder to highlight the world of Artificial Intelligence and has marked Israel as a strategic partner in the process.
Farkash HaCohen stated that IA “is the infrastructure for the future of Israeli science and high-tech. Artificial intelligence has the potential for a large variety of sectors in the economy, its use has become critical in almost every field.”
The Artificial Intelligence market is growing by about 20% every year, and in the coming years will even reach half a trillion dollars.
The agreement is “further proof that the Israeli mind is an asset to foreign relations,” she added.
On Monday a meeting was held between the Foreign Minister of Israel Yair Lapid and his Singaporean counterpart, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan. The Singaporean Foreign Minister informed Minister Lapid that Singapore intends to open an embassy in Israel for the first time since the establishment of relations between the two nations in 1965.
Israel, however, has had an embassy in Singapore for decades.
Yair Lapid said of the announcement, “I welcome the Government of Singapore’s decision to open an embassy in Israel for the first time since our diplomatic relations were established. This is further evidence of the good and special relations between our two countries.”
(TPS)
