News
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Applied Materials opens S$600M Singapore campus to feed AI chip demand
Applied Materials has officially opened a S$600 million campus in Tampines that more than doubles its cleanroom capacity in Singapore, with Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong officiating a facility that has already been running at volume capacity before its formal launch — a clear signal of how urgently AI chip demand is reshaping global semiconductor supply chains.
One in Three Firms Pouring Money Into AI With Minimal Oversight, IDC Finds
A new IDC survey of 800 technology leaders across APAC, Europe, and the US has found that roughly one in three companies investing in AI are doing so with little to no formal oversight — no dedicated AI ethics board, no regular model auditing, and no clear governance framework for how AI decisions.
Singapore's Hiring Outlook Hits 5-Year Low as AI Reshapes Workforce
Singapore's hiring outlook has dropped to its weakest level since Q4 2021, with only 35% of employers planning to hire in Q3 2026. Meanwhile, 66% of employers say they would pay a premium for AI literacy skills, underscoring how the AI shift is reshaping hiring priorities even as overall headcount stalls.
Computex 2026: Synology Pitches New Storage Software to Make AI Easier, Safer
At Computex 2026 in Taipei, Singapore-headquartered Synology unveiled major updates to its DSM storage operating system and new hardware that embeds AI deeply into enterprise collaboration and security, positioning on-premise AI as a practical alternative for businesses stuck in "AI deployment hell.
Pine Labs Adds AI Agent Payment Capabilities to UPI Network
Pine Labs, the merchant commerce platform with significant Singapore operations, has launched AI agent-enabled payments for India's UPI network — a step toward autonomous payment processing.
Crypto Flows to Suspected Human Trafficking Surge 85% in 2025, Chainalysis Finds
Cryptocurrency flows to suspected human trafficking services reached hundreds of millions of dollars in 2025, an 85% year-on-year surge driven by Southeast Asia's expanding scam compound ecosystem, according to Chainalysis' 2026 Crypto Crime Report.
Mastercard Launches AI Agent Commerce Platform for Businesses
Mastercard has launched Mastercard AI Agent Commerce, enabling businesses to deploy AI agents for automated payments, procurement, and financial operations on its global payment network.
DBS CTO: 'Intelligent Banking' Is the Next Frontier for Financial Services
DBS Bank's CTO Ramesh Mallya says the next phase of banking transformation goes beyond digitisation — it's about embedding real-time, context-aware AI into every financial interaction. The bank is shifting from batch processing to event-driven systems powered by AI and ML.
Shopee Lays Off Hundreds as Parent Sea Pivots Resources to AI
Shopee has begun cutting hundreds of developer roles globally, roughly 8% of its engineering team, as parent company Sea reallocates resources toward AI initiatives. Affected employees in Singapore will receive retrenchment support following the Tripartite Advisory guidelines.