(Oct 9): OpenAI is building a team in Singapore to support growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the Asia-Pacific region.

The new office, to be opened by year end, will serve as a hub for the startup to work with partners, governments and customers across the wider region. OpenAI is also partnering with AI Singapore, a state initiative bringing together local research groups, as it builds out its presence and connections in a part of the world with a fast-growing online user base. Singaporeans are among the highest per-capita users of ChatGPT, OpenAI said in a statement.

San Francisco-based OpenAI is ramping up expansion after securing billions of dollars in funding and credit recently, commanding a valuation of US$157 billion (RM672.71 billion) in a round that also saw support from SoftBank Group Corp, a long-time AI-focused investor. Earlier in the year, the US startup opened its first Asian office in Tokyo, with a bespoke GPT-4 model catering to Japanese-language customers.

Singapore now serves as the Asia hub for several major US internet firms, including Alphabet Inc’s Google and Meta Platforms Inc. Those two companies are also collaborating on building subsea internet cables that will support faster communication between the city state and the US west coast.

“Singapore, with its rich history of technology leadership, has emerged as a leader in AI,” Sam Altman, the chief executive officer of OpenAI, said in the statement. “We are excited to partner with the government and the country’s thriving AI ecosystem as we expand into the Asia-Pacific region.

Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee