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World's second richest nation to create AI agent registry for 150,000 government workers

World's second richest nation to create AI agent registry for 150,000 government workers

E.Vnexpress • June 4, 2026

The registry will track the ownership and activities of AI agents, software systems capable of making decisions and carrying out tasks automatically.

It is part of a broader initiative led by Singapore’s Government Technology Agency (GovTech) to strengthen oversight as public-sector employees increasingly rely on AI for tasks ranging from coding and report writing to scheduling meetings.

The effort is being rolled out through a suite of tools known as AI Assistant Desk, which aims to provide government employees with a secure AI-powered digital assistant, GovTech chief executive Goh Wei Boon told The Straits Times.

The platform remains under development and is currently being tested by selected public officers ahead of a wider launch later in 2026.

Singapore's skyline with the iconic Merlion and modern skyscrapers. Photo from Pexels

Goh said the security framework will remain in place even if external AI tools are added or replaced. The system can also limit certain actions, such as deleting files or sending emails to recipients outside government networks.

GovTech said more than half of Singapore’s 150,000 public officers already use its Pair AI chatbot to support research, writing and other workplace tasks.

It is also building AI-powered cybersecurity tools, including automated penetration testing systems for around 2,000 government platforms that manage citizen data and public transactions, according to Malay Mail .

It said the technology would enable continuous vulnerability testing instead of periodic manual assessments, helping strengthen cyber defenses against increasingly sophisticated threats.

Since October 2025, it has also integrated AI capabilities into its threat-detection systems to identify unusual network activity and help government agencies detect cyber threats more quickly.

Goh said the initiatives are critical to the digital transformation of Singapore, the world's second-richest country by GDP per capita in 2025 after Switzerland, helping improve public services and strengthen national security amid rising public expectations and a rapidly evolving threat landscape.