Shih Hor Lau

Singapore sets global benchmark with first-ever Agentic AI Governance Framework. The Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI was announced by the Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, at the World Economic Forum. The framework is the first of its kind to guide organizations on the responsible deployment of AI agents that are capable of reasoning, planning, and executing tasks autonomously. What stands out is the framework’s focus on fundamentals rather than abstractions. Human accountability is explicitly retained. Technical controls are not optional. Transparency into how agents behave and decide is treated as a core requirement, not a nice-to-have. This signals a clear understanding that autonomy without oversight erodes trust quickly. Equally important is how this framework is being operationalised. By convening enterprise leaders across ASEAN, the effort moves beyond policy into execution. Applying the same depth of security oversight to AI agents that we expect from trusted human roles is a pragmatic stance, especially for organizations deploying autonomous systems in production environments. The bigger signal here is confidence. Confidence that agentic AI will be used at scale and that governance can enable adoption rather than slow it down. It indicates that setting standards early creates long-term advantage. For enterprises in APAC, this is a blueprint for building agentic AI systems that can be trusted, governed, and scaled responsibly. This is what leadership in AI looks like. #AI #AgenticAI #AIGovernance #Innovation #ResponsibleAI

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Across our city, communities continue to face the frustration and disruption of water cuts. This is more than an inconvenience, it’s an infrastructure challenge that demands innovation, precision, and urgency. At the Empire Partner Foundation, through our EPF Tech Fund portfolio company OneWater, we are working to solve global water challenges through innovation,  starting right here at home. Here’s how: Integrated Infrastructure Management: Creating complete system visibility so municipalities can monitor, plan, and respond faster. Digital Twin: Building a real-time digital replica of the water network to simulate, monitor, and optimise system performance, enabling proactive maintenance and reducing disruptions before they happen. Water Loss Reduction (Non-Revenue Water): Using advanced detection tools and pressure optimisation to prevent leaks and stop unnecessary water loss. Smart Asset Management & 3D Modelling: Building digital infrastructure models that allow proactive maintenance instead of reactive crisis response, leveraging advanced tools for water infrastructure modelling and hydraulic network simulation solutions to strengthen system planning and performance. AI-Powered Water Analytics: Deploying intelligent monitoring systems to detect anomalies early and prevent future outages, supported by predictive modelling and scenario analysis technologies used globally in water management. Technology alone doesn’t solve the crisis, but smart, data-driven infrastructure does change outcomes. We are committed to building resilient systems, protecting communities, and restoring reliability, one innovation at a time. #JoburgWater #WaterSecurity #ONEWATER #SmartInfrastructure #CommunityFirst #SustainableFuture #EPF

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💡Innovation in SE Asia is not limited to Singapore or Thailand. As one of the major markets in that region, AI deployment is in full swing in Indonesia to empower businesses and people to accelerate the digital transformation of that country. ➡️The interview of this leader is a good reminder about the importance of data leadership, prioritization in experimentation and the human edge in AI-driven automation. He also mentioned something about Indonesia that should resonate in other countries in that region and beyond⬇️ "Compared to Indonesia, many countries have the advantage of engineering colleges with many engineering students passing every year. But AI is a leveler. You don’t have to be a coder; you don’t have to be an engineer. So, how do we invest in human talent? How do we make sure we create an ecosystem where we ensure that people are getting plugged in? This is why I keep saying that every dollar invested in technology needs to be supported by a dollar in people. Otherwise, you will not be able to unlock the full potential. It’s a people game. I keep hearing that AI will take jobs. Yes, there will be a lot of jobs displaced, but there will be new opportunities, and if you continue investing in people, it will be more sustainable in the longer term."

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Liquid Cooling: A Strategic Imperative for Scaling AI Infrastructure Sustainably Artificial intelligence is reshaping digital infrastructure at its core. Each AI workload drives extreme compute density, rising power demand, and unprecedented thermal loads, making cooling a strategic constraint rather than an operational detail. Through my visits to data centers in Singapore, Turkey, and Dubai, and my direct involvement in operating MEEZA’s data centers in Qatar, one message is consistent: air cooling has reached its limits. As AI scales to industrial levels, liquid cooling is no longer optional; it is foundational infrastructure. Liquid cooling enables higher densities, reduces overall power and water usage, and improves resilience across hyperscale and edge environments alike. Regulators and communities now expect accountability, not just capacity. Operators that fail to adapt will be constrained by both physics and policy. AI may drive the next industrial revolution, but liquid cooling will determine whether it is sustainable. The question is no longer if it is needed, but how fast it can be deployed to support the future digital economy. #WebSummitQatar #WebSummit #WorldSummitAI #Qai #QatarAI #NationalAI #DigitalSovereignty #SovereignAI

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