Singapore is bringing artificial intelligence deeper into its public sector through a new partnership with Anthropic, the American AI company behind Claude.
The agreement, announced on October 14, 2026, brings Anthropic together with Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) to strengthen AI safety, improve government technology and support responsible AI adoption across businesses.
The announcement also coincides with Anthropic opening its fifth Asia-Pacific office in Singapore, giving the company a stronger presence in one of its most active markets.
Singapore already uses AI in government operations, but this partnership could push adoption further. More than 1,500 engineers and technical employees at GovTech Singapore have adopted Claude Code to help modernize government systems and accelerate software development.
The agreement signals something bigger than another technology partnership. Singapore wants AI to become a practical part of government operations, with safety and accountability built into the process.
Singapore and Anthropic Sign Agreement to Strengthen Government AI
Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthropic during Singapore International Cyber Week 2026.
The agreement establishes cooperation in AI safety, security, model evaluation and research into how artificial intelligence affects businesses and public services.
Anthropic co-founder Ben Mann and MDDI Permanent Secretary Chng Kai Fong signed the agreement. Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, attended the signing alongside Anthropic’s Head of APAC Policy, Michael Sellitto.
Both sides plan to exchange technical expertise and explore ways to help government agencies use AI more effectively.
The partnership will also support AI skills development among public officers and encourage responsible adoption among small and medium-sized businesses.
Singapore has spent years building its digital government infrastructure. Working directly with Anthropic gives its agencies another opportunity to access advanced AI capabilities while strengthening the systems used to evaluate their safety.
More Than 1,500 GovTech Employees Already Use Claude Code
The Singapore Anthropic AI partnership builds on technology already being used inside the country’s government. According to Anthropic, more than 1,500 engineers and technical employees at the Government Technology Agency of Singapore, or GovTech, have adopted Claude Code.
The AI-powered coding assistant helps developers write, review and debug software. It can also support the maintenance of existing systems, reducing time spent on repetitive programming tasks. For GovTech, these capabilities matter because government technology teams manage digital services used by millions of residents and businesses.
Modernizing older systems can take considerable time and resources. Claude Code gives developers another way to handle complex programming tasks and accelerate software delivery. Anthropic says the tool has already helped GovTech teams build, maintain and improve digital services more efficiently.
Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency is also exploring how Claude could strengthen national cyber defense capabilities. That work remains exploratory, but it highlights the government’s interest in applying advanced AI beyond administrative tasks.
AI Safety and Model Testing Take Center Stage
AI safety is one of the most important parts of Singapore’s agreement with Anthropic. The two sides plan to cooperate on model evaluation, testing standards and responses to AI-related security incidents. These efforts aim to help government institutions understand the capabilities and limitations of increasingly advanced AI systems.
Singapore has already established several initiatives focused on responsible AI development, including the AI Verify Foundation and the Generative AI Evaluation Sandbox. Anthropic participated in the sandbox in 2023 and later worked with Singaporean organizations on AI safety testing across English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.
The new agreement expands that relationship through technical exchanges with Singapore’s AI safety, security and assurance institutions. Government agencies face particular challenges when adopting AI. They must protect sensitive information, maintain public trust and ensure automated systems behave reliably.
A coding assistant used by government developers carries different risks from an AI system involved in public-facing decisions. Both require appropriate oversight. Singapore’s approach recognizes that deploying more powerful AI tools also requires better methods for identifying potential failures and security weaknesses.
Anthropic Expands Its Presence With a New Singapore Office
Anthropic’s new Singapore office marks another step in its Asia-Pacific expansion. The office joins the company’s existing regional locations in Tokyo, Bengaluru, Seoul and Sydney.
Having employees based in Singapore will allow Anthropic to work more closely with government institutions, enterprise customers and developers using Claude. Dale Finlay, Anthropic’s General Manager of ASEAN, said the company intends to maintain a long-term presence in Singapore.
The expansion reflects growing demand for AI systems that can operate within demanding enterprise environments, particularly those involving security and regulatory requirements. Singapore offers Anthropic access to major financial institutions, technology companies and public sector organizations that are already experimenting with advanced AI.
The company is also expanding its local workforce to support customer relationships, enterprise adoption and regional operations. For Singapore, the office strengthens its position as a regional destination for international AI companies seeking partnerships and commercial opportunities.
Grab, DBS and Sea Are Already Using Claude in Business Operations
Anthropic’s presence in Singapore extends beyond government agencies. Several major companies already use Claude to improve productivity, software development and customer service. Grab, one of Southeast Asia’s largest technology platforms, uses Claude to power BriX, an internal sales assistant.
According to Anthropic, the system saves Grab’s sales teams approximately 40,000 hours every quarter while helping employees identify new business opportunities. DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank, uses Claude for software development and everyday productivity tasks within its existing security and governance framework.
Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC, is also rolling out Claude across investment and corporate services teams. Sea, the parent company of Shopee, Garena and Monee, uses Claude to support software engineering and improve customer service chatbot responses. These deployments show how AI adoption is moving into routine business operations.
Instead of relying exclusively on experimental projects, companies are introducing AI into workflows that employees already use. The challenge now is ensuring those systems deliver consistent results while meeting operational and security requirements.
Singapore Ranks Second Globally for Claude Usage Relative to Population
Singapore has become one of Anthropic’s most active markets. According to the company’s latest Economic Index, Singapore ranks second among 121 countries for Claude.ai usage relative to population. The research found that Claude usage in Singapore was approximately 5.8 times higher than its population size alone would predict.
The ranking does not mean Singapore has the world’s second-largest number of Claude users. It measures usage intensity relative to population. Still, the findings point to strong demand for AI tools among Singapore’s developers, businesses and technology professionals. That demand helps explain Anthropic’s decision to establish a local office.
Singapore’s digital infrastructure, established technology sector and government support for AI adoption have created opportunities for companies developing advanced AI systems. The country’s relatively small population has not prevented it from becoming an important market for enterprise AI.
Singapore Wants Smaller Businesses and Public Officers to Benefit From AI
The partnership is not limited to large corporations or specialized government technology teams. Anthropic and Singapore’s MDDI also plan to explore ways to strengthen AI skills among public officers and support responsible adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises.
Smaller businesses often face different challenges when adopting AI. They may lack technical employees, dedicated cybersecurity teams or the resources needed to evaluate new systems. Providing access to technical expertise and practical guidance could help reduce some of those barriers.
For government employees, AI training could support everyday activities such as document preparation, research, software development and administrative work. Singapore already operates government AI tools, including Pair, which helps public officers with writing, research and analysis.
The Anthropic agreement could complement those existing efforts, although specific new training programs and deployment targets have not yet been announced. The focus is on developing capabilities that allow organizations to use AI responsibly rather than simply introducing more software.
What the Singapore Anthropic Partnership Means for Public Sector AI
Singapore’s agreement with Anthropic reflects a wider change in how governments approach artificial intelligence.
Early government AI projects often focused on chatbots, automation and limited productivity experiments. Now, agencies are exploring advanced models that can assist with software engineering, cybersecurity and more complex operational work.
Singapore has already demonstrated that AI can support government technology development through GovTech’s use of Claude Code. The new partnership creates a formal channel for cooperation on technical standards, safety research and broader adoption.
It also gives Anthropic an opportunity to work with a government that has invested heavily in AI governance. However, the memorandum of understanding is a framework for cooperation, not a guarantee that Claude will be deployed across every Singapore government agency.
Actual implementation will depend on technical evaluations, operational requirements and decisions made by the relevant institutions. That distinction matters. Signing an AI partnership is relatively straightforward. Turning it into reliable public services requires considerably more work.
Conclusion
Singapore’s partnership with Anthropic marks another step in the country’s effort to make artificial intelligence part of government operations. With more than 1,500 GovTech technical employees already using Claude Code, Singapore has an existing foundation for expanding AI-assisted software development.
The new agreement adds cooperation on safety testing, cybersecurity, research and workforce development. Anthropic’s Singapore office also strengthens the company’s presence in Southeast Asia, where demand for enterprise AI continues to grow.
The real measure of success will come from what the partnership delivers: more capable public sector teams, reliable government technology and AI systems that meet Singapore’s security and accountability standards. Singapore is moving ahead with AI adoption. The challenge is making sure public trust moves with it.
Sources
- Anthropic — Anthropic Opens Singapore Office and Signs MOU with the Government of Singapore (October 14, 2026)
https://www.anthropic.com/news/singapore-office-opening - AI News — Singapore Partners with Anthropic on Public Sector AI Deployments
https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/singapore-partners-with-anthropic-on-public-sector-ai-deployments/ - Channel News Asia — Anthropic Opens Singapore Office, Signs AI Safety Agreement with Government (October 14, 2026)
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/anthropic-office-safety-agreement-government-deal-6456671 - GovTech Singapore — AI and Data in Singapore’s Government
https://www.tech.gov.sg/about-us/what-we-do/govtech-role-in-digital-transformation-for-the-public-sector/ai-and-data-in-singapore-government/ - The Business Times — Anthropic Works to Bring Frontier AI Models On Soil in Singapore, Signs Government Pact (October 14, 2026)
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/anthropic-works-bring-frontier-ai-models-soil-singapore-signs-government-pact
