Future of work

Dell expands AI innovation hub in Singapore to drive regional growth

Dell Technologies has launched a new Asia Pacific and Japan AI Innovation Hub in Singapore, strengthening its role in advancing AI across the region.

The hub extends the company’s Global Innovation Hub, which has already received more than US$50 million in investment since 2019. Its focus is on driving AI transformation, enablement and leadership, in line with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0.

Instead of offering only infrastructure, the hub delivers end-to-end support, from strategy to deployment, helping enterprises bridge the gap between ambition and practical results. Research shows 62% of Singaporean businesses prefer such holistic partnerships.

Since 2024, the hub has developed about 50 AI prototypes and carried out more than 100 proof-of-concepts, workshops and demonstrations across areas such as generative and predictive AI.

The projects have already influenced multiple sectors. In energy, AI solutions are strengthening infrastructure resilience and enhancing customer engagement with digital humans and chatbots.

In telecommunications, AI is supporting agility and operational efficiency, while in education, cloud-based technologies are empowering research and innovation.

Dell’s AI Centre of Excellence Lab further supports these initiatives by testing solutions for AI PCs and edge computing in collaboration with academic and hardware partners.

A strong emphasis is also placed on skills development. By the end of 2025, the hub aims to train around 10,000 students and mid-career professionals in AI engineering, platform engineering and related fields.

Working with 10 local institutes, Dell is addressing the talent shortage reported by nearly half of Singaporean organisations. Events such as the Dell InnovateFest and the Dell Innovation Challenge provide platforms for students and partners to showcase ideas and create solutions for social good.

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OpenAI to open office in New Delhi

OpenAI has announced plans to open its first office in India later this year, selecting New Delhi as the location. India is now ChatGPT’s second-largest market after the US and continues to experience rapid growth in user activity.

Weekly active users of ChatGPT in India have increased over fourfold over the past year, with students making up the largest global user segment. CEO Sam Altman praised India’s talent pool and government support, stating the new office is key to building AI with and for India.

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw welcomed the move, citing India’s AI mission and expanding digital infrastructure as a natural foundation for the partnership. OpenAI will also hold its first Education Summit in India later this month, aiming to further engage with students and educators nationwide.

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Senior OpenAI executive Julia Villagra departs amid talent war

OpenAI’s chief people officer, Julia Villagra, has left the company, marking the latest leadership change at the AI pioneer. Villagra, who joined the San Francisco firm in early 2024 and was promoted in March, previously led its human resources operations.

Her responsibilities will temporarily be overseen by chief strategy officer Jason Kwon, while chief applications officer Fidji Simo will lead the search for her successor.

OpenAI said Villagra is stepping away to pursue her personal interest in art, music and storytelling as tools to help people understand the shift towards artificial general intelligence, a stage when machines surpass human performance in most forms of work.

The departure comes as OpenAI navigates a period of intense competition for AI expertise. Microsoft-backed OpenAI is valued at about $300 billion, with a potential share sale set to raise that figure to $500 billion.

The company faces growing rivalry from Meta, where Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly offered $100 million signing bonuses to attract OpenAI talent.

While OpenAI expands, public concerns over the impact of AI on employment continue. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 71% of Americans fear AI could permanently displace too many workers, despite the unemployment rate standing at 4.2% in July.

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Contested quantum study updated but questions remain

A controversial study that once claimed evidence of elusive Majorana quasiparticles has received a 20-page correction in Science five years after its publication.

The paper, led by researchers in Copenhagen and affiliated with Microsoft, originally described signals from nanowires that were said to match those expected from Majoranas, exotic entities believed to be useful for quantum computing due to their resistance to noise.

Independent investigators concluded that, although the data selection was narrow, no misconduct occurred. The omitted data did not invalidate the main claims, but raised concerns about transparency and selection bias in reporting.

The authors argue the correction merely clarifies their methods. Yet the wider research community remains divided, and no group has successfully replicated the findings. Some experts now see the approach as too fragile for practical use in quantum computing.

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Google launches Gemini AI for government

Google has introduced a new version of its Gemini AI platform tailored specifically for US government use, called Gemini for Government. The platform combines features such as image generation, enterprise search, and AI agent development, with compliance to standards like Sec4 and FedRAMP.

Gemini includes pre-built AI agents for research and idea generation, while also offering tools to create custom agents. US government customers will pay $0.50 per year for basic access, undercutting rivals OpenAI and Anthropic, who each launched $1 government-focused AI packages earlier this year.

Google emphasised security, privacy, and automation in its pitch, positioning the product as an all-in-one solution for public sector institutions. The launch follows the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, which seeks to promote AI growth.

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South Korea unveils five-year AI blueprint for ‘super-innovation economy’

South Korea’s new administration has unveiled a five-year economic plan to build what it calls a ‘super-innovation economy’ by integrating AI across all sectors of society.

The strategy, led by President Lee Jae-myung, commits 100 trillion won (approximately US$71.5 billion) to position the country among the world’s top three AI powerhouses. Private firms will drive development, with government support for nationwide adoption.

Plans include a sovereign Korean-language AI model, humanoid robots for logistics and industry, and commercialising autonomous vehicles by 2027. Unmanned ships are targeted for completion by 2030, alongside widespread use of drones in firefighting and aviation.

AI will also be introduced into drug approvals, smart factories, welfare services, and tax administration, with AI-based tax consultations expected by 2026. Education initiatives and a national AI training data cluster will nurture talent and accelerate innovation.

Five domestic firms, including Naver Cloud, SK Telecom, and LG AI Research, will receive state support to build homegrown AI foundation models. Industry reports currently rank South Korea between sixth and 10th in global AI competitiveness.

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Surge in seat belt offences seen by AI monitors

AI-enabled cameras in Devon and Cornwall have detected 6,000 people failing to wear seat belts over the past year. The number caught was 50 percent higher than those penalised for using mobile phones while driving, police confirmed.

Road safety experts warn that the long-standing culture of belting up may be fading among newer generations of drivers. Geoff Collins of Acusensus noted a rise in non-compliance and said stronger legal penalties could help reverse the trend.

Current UK law imposes a £100 fine for not wearing a seat belt, with no points added to a driver’s licence. Campaigners now urge the government to make such offences endorsable, potentially adding penalty points and risking licence loss.

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Students seek emotional support from AI chatbots

College students are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for emotional support, prompting concern among mental health professionals. A 2025 report ranked ‘therapy and companionship’ as the top use case for generative AI, particularly among younger users.

Studies by MIT and OpenAI show that frequent AI use can lower social confidence and increase avoidance of face-to-face interaction. On campuses, digital mental health platforms now supplement counselling services, offering tools that identify at-risk students and provide basic support.

Experts warn that chatbot companionship may create emotional habits that lack grounding in reality and hinder social skill development. Counsellors advocate for educating students on safe AI use and suggest universities adopt tools that flag risky engagement patterns.

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Caution rises over inflated AI-driven tech valuations

US tech stocks have stumbled after a sharp rally, with investors increasingly cautious over AI-linked valuations and shifting market conditions. The S&P 500 tech sector has dropped around 2.5% this week, while the Nasdaq has slipped 2%, led by losses in Nvidia and Palantir.

The fall follows a 50% surge in tech shares since April, far outpacing the broader market and pushing valuations to year-highs. Concerns are growing that investor enthusiasm around AI has become overheated, with some funds reducing their exposure ahead of expected interest rate guidance.

US market watchers are now focused on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole, which could signal if rate cuts are on the horizon. Tech stocks, already heavily weighted in many portfolios, are particularly vulnerable to higher rates due to their stretched price-to-earnings ratios.

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AI improves customer experience at Citi

Citi has expanded its digital client platform, CitiDirect Commercial Banking, with new AI capabilities to improve customer service and security.

The platform now supports over half of Citi’s global commercial banking client base and handles around 2.3 million sessions.

AI features assist in fraud detection, automate customer queries, and provide real-time onboarding updates and guidance.

KYC renewals have been simplified through automated alerts and pre-filled forms, cutting effort and processing time for clients.

Live in markets including the UK, US, India, and others, the platform has received positive feedback from over 10,000 users. Citi says the enhancements are part of a broader effort to make mid-sized corporate banking faster, more innovative, and more efficient.

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