Singapore Welcomes Low-Cost AI Models Like DeepSeek

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo stated that low-cost AI models such as China's DeepSeek are welcome for smaller nations and companies seeking AI benefits without exorbitant costs. Speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm AI Singapore conference, Teo noted that while Singapore is not using DeepSeek for its own development plans, the startup's ability to match leading-edge performance with fewer resources is significant.

Teo emphasized that Singapore intends to maintain a neutral path between the United States and China, learning from U.S. AI governance and Chinese industrial applications. She highlighted the need for AI trained on regional languages rather than just Western corpora to meet Southeast Asian requirements, citing Singapore's support for the SEA-LION project.

To further domestic capabilities, the government is expanding AI skills among professionals, including doctors and lawyers. Teo maintained that Singapore's consistent approach is to act in a way that meets its own interests.