Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat speaks at Singtel’s event, emphasizing the significance of digital sustainability, AI, and climate action.
Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Heng Swee Keat, delivered a keynote address at Singtel’s ‘Unfolding a New Era’ Event on January 31, 2024. The event, attended by key figures including SMS Dr Janil Puthucheary and Singtel’s Chairman Mr Lee Theng Kiat, marked the launch of Singtel’s regional data centre business and showcased strategic partnerships aimed at bolstering Singapore’s role as a global hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital sustainability.
DPM Heng Swee Keat highlighted the transformative impact of digitalization on various facets of life, emphasizing the acceleration of AI and its potential contributions to the global economy. He underscored ASEAN’s digital economy, projected to triple to US$1 trillion by 2030, and outlined the economic benefits of AI adoption. The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged the challenges posed by climate change and stressed Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development, citing the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Addressing the dilemma of balancing digitalization and decarbonization, DPM Heng Swee Keat proposed the concept of sustainable digitalization. He discussed the dual role of digital technologies in optimizing resources for efficiency while recognizing the environmental impact, particularly in the ICT sector. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the need for collaborative efforts across sectors, with the government playing a key role in setting directions for digital sustainability through initiatives like the 2030 Green Plan and National AI Strategy 2.0.
Singtel’s role in managing the challenges of digitalization and decarbonization was commended by DPM Heng Swee Keat. He praised Singtel’s commitment to achieving operational net-zero data centre operations by 2028 and its ecosystem approach, emphasizing the importance of partnerships with local enterprises and global leaders. The Deputy Prime Minister also lauded Singtel’s collaboration with NVIDIA to support the widespread adoption of AI by enterprises and its efforts in talent development through the Regional Sustainable Data Centre Academy.
DPM Heng Swee Keat acknowledged the complexity of managing the digitalization-decarbonization duality and commended Singtel for its pioneering efforts. He expressed confidence that Singtel’s endeavors would not only deepen Singapore’s position as a digital and AI hub but also contribute to the growth and opportunities for ASEAN and beyond.
Source – PMO
