Opinion & Features

Asia has a three-year window to seize AI leadership through digital sovereignty

To stay competitive, Asia must rethink digital borders and engineer trust into the architecture of AI systems

US President Donald Trump (right) with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after a trade deal was agreed in Turnberry, Scotland in 2025.
THE BOTTOM LINE

Turnberry deal won’t fix transatlantic trade. But it’s a start

Despite lopsided terms and political friction, the US-EU deal can help prevent another inflationary spiral

Although IMDA reported that three-quarters of the Singapore workforce use AI at work, AI adoption is not the same as AI integration.

Why SMEs are being left behind in the AI integration race

Organisations that succeed are not those with the largest engineering teams, but those that can effectively embed institutional expertise into AI systems

Ordinary people need cars. Yet, the fundamental flaw of the COE system is that it ignores this human element.
THINKING ALOUD

How to fix the COE system

What kind of COE you bid for should depend on what kind of person you are

Singapore increasingly serves as a pathfinder, helping global firms enter South-east Asia and chart pathways for regional expansion.
NEW GLOBAL ORDER

Singapore can be Asia’s ‘super-connector’ and strengthen global trade

More than a hub connecting trade and investment, the Republic is shaping the rules for connectivity

By targeting supermarket prices alone, governments miss an opportunity to tackle the real causes of the affordability crisis.

The affordability crisis is about more than prices

Governments are responding to affordability concerns by negotiating retail price cuts, but results disappoint

Be wary of sales pitches that dangle high income but are not explicit on where risks lurk.
MIND THE GAP

Should you sacrifice some CPF Life income in favour of ILPs? Tread carefully

Consumers should educate themselves about the Retirement Sum Scheme and CPF Life, and view how these fit into their retirement plan

Young adults, worried over job security, should not hold back from applying for HDB BTO flats.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Worried over job prospects? Young adults should go forth fearlessly to buy an HDB BTO flat

Bank on creating wealth from purchasing a subsidised home amid rising uncertainty

The rise of working from home has been a boon for 30-somethings, but has slowed the climb up the career ladder for the youngest workers.
THE BOTTOM LINE

What if remote working, not AI, is to blame for weak junior hiring?

New evidence suggests the rise of working from home has made entry-level hires a less attractive proposition

What New York needs from Mayor Zohran Mamdani is not a retreat from progressive ambition, but the recognition that the city needs to compete for its tax base in a global market.

Why Mamdani’s New York has to fight to retain its crown

With Singapore, London and Dubai doing more to attract talent, the world’s premier financial hub is finding out its title is contestable