Abstract:
Lao Tzu’s quote – “[a]ll things carry yin yet embrace yang. They blend their life breaths in order to produce harmony” – carries lessons on striking the right balance for AI regulation in Singapore. For Singapore, which is a “fast follower” in the global AI race, the key is to learn lessons quickly from international precedents, while aligning with and influencing global developments to ensure interoperability. This article aims to demonstrate that Singapore should not seek to find a single “correct” point of balance. Instead, it should advance aspects key to building the groundwork for international AI governance – and in so doing, serve as a forward-looking model for how small states can ride the AI wave.