SINGAPORE: OpenAI, the maker of Chat-GPT, a San Francisco-based company known for making generative artificial intelligence (AI) popular, has announced plans to open its second office in Asia in Singapore later this year.
This new office will be the company’s fourth branch outside the United States, joining locations in London, Dublin, and Tokyo.
OpenAI will also hire between five and ten employees in Singapore before 2025, focusing on roles in sales, security, and solutions engineering, among others. The company also said it is committed to hiring local talent.
According to The Straits Times, the Singapore office will prioritise enhancing regional collaboration, particularly through partnerships with the national AI programme AI Singapore, to develop generative AI models that understand and reflect Southeast Asia’s diverse cultures and languages.
OpenAI’s expansion into Singapore marks the beginning of the company’s long-term strategy to utilise the region’s growing tech talent and establish a stronger presence, positioning itself as a hub for its Asia-Pacific (APAC) partners.
In a statement on Oct 9, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared his excitement about the company’s growth in Singapore.
He said, “Singapore, with its rich history of technology leadership, has emerged as a leader in AI, recognising its potential to solve some of society’s hardest problems and advance economic prosperity.
We’re excited to partner with the government and the country’s thriving AI ecosystem as we expand into the Apac region.” Mr Altman last visited Singapore in June 2023 during a global tour to discuss AI issues and answer questions about the rollout of ChatGPT.
While the new office’s location is still being finalised, OpenAI plans to support customers and build partnerships with governments, businesses, and institutions.
The company noted that Singaporeans are among the highest users of ChatGPT in the world, with the number of active users doubling since the start of 2024.
Mr Oliver Jay, who previously worked as chief revenue officer at Asana and as an independent board director at Grab, will lead the new office as managing director of International and will be based in Singapore.
The company plans to work closely with Singapore government partners, including the Economic Development Board (EDB), to support AI development in the country.
OpenAI stated, “Establishing a regional presence brings OpenAI closer to innovative local companies, such as Grab in Singapore and Canva in Australia, which are using OpenAI’s advanced AI products to power new tools and features for their customers.”
To make advanced AI more accessible in Southeast Asia, OpenAI is set to invest up to US$1 million (S$1.3 million) to develop resources that ensure AI models represent the region’s diverse languages and cultures.
This investment is part of a new partnership with AI Singapore, which works on Sea-Lion, a network of large language models tailored to Southeast Asian users.
Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, its presence in Singapore has grown quickly.
The company’s technology has been incorporated into AI solutions businesses and government agencies use, including customer service chatbots and an internal AI assistant for civil servants named Pair.
Jacqueline Poh, managing director of the EDB, stated that OpenAI’s expansion is a sign of Singapore’s strong and growing AI ecosystem, along with ongoing investments in AI talent, technology, and business demand.
She added that OpenAI’s operations in the country are expected to foster new collaborations within the sector.
This expansion comes amid reports of OpenAI’s shift from a non-profit research lab to a more investor-oriented, for-profit model driven by the rising operational costs of running powerful AI systems worldwide.
While OpenAI maintains its non-profit division as central to its mission, this transition has raised concerns in the industry regarding AI risk management, including how data is collected for training and other ethical issues related to its new structure.
On Nov 21, the company is set to host its first Developer Day in Singapore, focusing on engaging developers and start-ups. /TISG
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