Health officials in Singapore are turning to emerging technologies, with artificial intelligence (AI) at the core, to cater to its fast-rising elderly demographic.
AI-based solutions are anticipated to become integral to elderly care in the Southeast Asian nation. Recently, the city-state conducted several preliminary tests of its AI solutions that yielded promising results and is preparing for a commercial rollout across nursing homes and hospices.
Due to its rapid demographic growth, Singapore’s elderly population is expected to comprise 25% of its total population by 2030. By the end of the decade, the country’s population is projected to approach seven million, with individuals aged 65 and older reaching approximately 1.7 million.
The spike in the elderly population may strain Singapore’s health system, prompting the mainstream acceptance of emerging technologies to augment existing efforts. The most accessible opportunities for using AI in elderly care are “managing non-critical conditions” and improving productivity and efficiency in administrative tasks.
Singapore’s Housing and Development Board (HDB) is at the forefront with its array of fall detection systems for residences. HDB is integrating AI technology into its proprietary fall detection systems to automatically issue alerts to caregivers in the event of a fall.
Experts are predicting the rise of wearable devices in elderly care, tracking vitals, and issuing real-time alerts to caregivers in the case of an anomaly.
There are also plans to roll out custom chatbots specifically trained to assist older individuals with health issues. The large language models (LLMs) will be able to answer questions while providing personalized care plans for elderly patients.
Although AI elderly care in Singapore is primarily homegrown, authorities are also considering foreign-based solutions. United States-based Sensi.AI is gaining traction in Singapore with its health detection offerings, which use audio signals and real-time alerts.
Despite the projected trends, experts are pushing for guardrails to protect individuals’ privacy rights. There is also the downside of AI errors that could lead to fatalities, with health officials pledging to roll out high standards for applying emerging technologies in eldercare.
Singapore is no stranger to AI, housing a thriving local ecosystem of service providers. A wave of AI-based use cases is sweeping across the country, with authorities investing $1 billion to become a leading hub in Southeast Asia. The hefty investment is geared toward deepening the city-state’s talent pool and providing key infrastructure to improve AI penetration.
“We want to play a long game in this space,” Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), previously said. “We want to ensure whatever AI we adopt or we promote, it stays for a long period of time.”
AI in enterprises
Not only is AI gaining popularity in the healthcare sector, but Singapore is recording impressive adoption rates from local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME) in Singapore and Singapore Management University (SMU Academy) have inked a deal to trigger generative AI adoption in the country. The plan is for SMEs to integrate the technology into their daily operations for improved productivity.
The duo has tapped business management consultant Straits Interactive to roll out an Advanced Certificate in Generative AI Applications Design and Prompt Engineering. The first-of-its-kind certification seeks to provide business owners in the country with AI training in a rapidly changing landscape.
The two-day training is tailor-made for non-technical individuals, with the ASME providing practicals for business owners. By the end of the session, SME owners will glean knowledge on AI prompts for applications across key verticals of their operations.
“AI adoption is not just about having access to powerful tools; it’s about possessing the right skills and applying AI in relevant business contexts,” said Straits Interactive CEO Kevin Shepherdson.
A closer look at the course reveals generative AI training in service and sales, customer care, human resources, and public relations. The course will equip attendees with the skill set to roll out their branded AI solutions rather than depending on generic offerings.
“Our goal is to help SMEs design Gen AI applications that integrate seamlessly into their operations, creating real business value while addressing AI risks and constraints,” added Shepherdson.
ASME President Ang Yuit noted that the course’s end goal is to deepen generative adoption in the country, building on the gains recorded at the AI Festival Asia.
Currently, AI adoption among SMEs is a mere 4.4%, but with the help of stakeholders’ concerted efforts, the figure is expected to achieve double-digit metrics.
Singapore is hurtling toward mainstream AI adoption across all facets of its local economy. Concrete plans to introduce the emerging technology into finance are in place, but the MAS is pining for a cautious approach.
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Wahid Pessarlay