Memorandum of understanding on cooperation on artificial intelligence between Australia and Singapore

Memorandum of understanding

The Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Singapore are:

• Reaffirming the importance of the partnership between Australia and Singapore in relation to innovation, science and technology.
• Recalling the longstanding and highly productive, innovation, science and technology partnership between Australia and Singapore forged under the auspices of the Cultural agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Singapore, signed on 26 September 1975.
• Recognising that artificial intelligence (AI), and the technologies that underpin it, will form one of the next waves of digital innovation and transformation across the globe, which could provide tremendous social, economic and environmental benefits.
• Acknowledging that there is significant global competition for leadership in Al in the areas of talent and skills, research and development, adoption and diffusion, data, and digital infrastructure.
• Building on the successful cooperation under the previous Memorandum of understanding between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Singapore on cooperation on artificial intelligence, signed on 23 March 2020 (2020 MOU).
• Desiring to further cooperate and leverage on Australia and Singapore's comparative strengths to ensure the participants can realise the benefits of Al and minimise any risks, and also shape the development of international Al-related frameworks, policies and standards.

We have reached the following understandings. 

Paragraph l: Purpose 

1. This Memorandum of Understanding (this MOU) has been developed in connection with the Singapore-Australia Digital Economy Agreement in the context of the Joint Declaration by the Prime Ministers of Australia and Singapore on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership's objective to deepen bilateral relations and cooperation and enhance the integration of the economies of Australia and Singapore.
2. This MOU provides a framework to enhance practical collaboration on civil applications of Al technologies between Australia and Singapore.

Paragraph II: Objectives

The objectives of this MOU are to:

1. encourage the sharing of best practices between the Al ecosystems of the participants, across the governmental, institutional, academic and industry levels
2. facilitate increased access to Al technologies, markets and talent
3. build linkages between research and industry activities to support the commercialisation of Al applications
4. prioritise a human-centric approach to Al, including support for the development and adoption of ethical governance frameworks for the trusted, secure, safe, and responsible development and use of Al technologies and, where appropriate, the alignment of governance and regulatory frameworks and tools.

Paragraph III: Forms of cooperation

The participants understand that their cooperation may include:

1. exchange of information and joint projects relating to Al safety, ethics, cybersecurity, and governance issues, which may include practices, policies, laws, regulations, and AI processes (including in relation to regulatory technologies)
2. setting up test beds to demonstrate how Al solutions can be deployed
3. organising joint seminars, symposia, projects, conferences and workshops
4. organising business development, technology partnering missions, and initiatives to match businesses opportunities
5. developing collaborative research and development initiatives, including co-funding research programmes through new or existing mechanisms
6. shared use of resources, data and infrastructure
7. exchange of researchers, academics, policy makers, business professionals, students, and technical experts
8. any other form of cooperation as may be mutually decided by the participants.

Paragraph IV: Representative agencies

For the purposes of this MOU:

1. The representative agency for Australia on Al is the Department of Industry, Science, and Resources or its successor. 
2. The representative agencies for Singapore are:
   
   1. the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, or its successor
   2. the lnfo-communications Media Development Authority, or its successor.

Paragraph V: Strategic dialogues

1. The participants may hold joint strategic dialogues, as may be mutually determined, to build on cooperation opportunities focused on Al technologies. These strategic dialogues will be the catalyst for a new phase of collaboration by assisting the participants to:
   
   1. identify collaborative opportunities in Al technologies, including with research organisations, businesses, and academia
   2. exchange and disseminate information about funding, opportunities, and ways to reduce barriers to AI adoption
   3. explore opportunities for closer engagement in relevant multilateral fora on Al
   4. share best practices for the promotion of the trusted, secure, safe, responsible, and ethical use of Al technologies.

Paragraph VI: Priority areas for collaboration

The participants will collaborate in priority areas, which will be identified through bilateral processes, including through the joint strategic dialogues. Collaboration will focus on the civil applications of Al technologies and may include:

1. Al development and deployment:
   
   1. promoting research and development cooperation between key national research institutions on Al, including on issues related to Al ethics and governance
   2. exploring ways to better link the Al ecosystems of Australia and Singapore (including research, industry, venture capital and start-ups) to identify commercialisation opportunities for innovative Al firms, possibly including the establishment of test beds to demonstrate how Al solutions can be deployed
   3. exploring ways to promote the adoption and diffusion of Al technologies across the community, including through collaborating on cross-border Al projects
   4. exploring data sharing opportunities.
2. Workforce and talent:
   
   1. sharing research and understanding of the impacts of Al and automation on the workforce and broader societal impacts
   2. sharing strategies, policies, research and initiatives to strengthen AI skills across the workforce
   3. sharing policies and collaborating on projects that support Al talent development and attraction and retention
   4. sharing strategies for improving the competencies of Al professionals involved in research, engineering, development and implementation, including through training and certification programmes on Al governance.
3. Ethics and governance:
   
   1. sharing experiences on educational and outreach programs to support business and community understanding, trust, acceptance and adoption of Al
   2. taking steps to align and map respective governance and regulatory frameworks, tools, and approaches on the ethical use of Al
   3. joint projects to explore and ensure interoperability of AI governance evaluation tools and frameworks
   4. sharing knowledge and experiences in AI testing and evaluation sciences, technologies and tools.
4. Safety and standards:
   
   1. identifying AI safety risks of shared concern,
   2. building a shared scientific and evidence-based understanding of these risks and risk mitigation measures, including through collaboration on areas of mutual research interest, 
   3. ensuring this understanding remains relevant as capabilities continue to increase, including through technical exchanges between organisations in the respective ecosystems focused on AI safety, in the context of a wider global approach to understanding the impact of AI on our societies.
   4. identifying common topics of interest for AI standardisation and building collaborative links between both countries and international standardisation organisations.
5. Others:
   
   1. any other areas as may be mutually decided by the participants.

Paragraph VII: Implementing arrangements

The participants may jointly conclude separate implementing arrangements relating to any of the areas of cooperation referred to in this MOU. Any such implementing arrangement will be subsidiary to this MOU, and in the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency, this MOU will prevail.

Paragraph VIII: Express

Unless otherwise jointly arranged in writing between both participants, each participant will bear its own costs and expenses, and provide its own resources, for the implementation of this MOU and any matter related thereto.

Paragraph IX: Status of this MoU

This MOU is a document which embodies the understandings of participants and:

1. is not intended to create, maintain, modify, or govern any legally binding rights or obligations between the participants, or between the participants and any third party, under domestic or international law
2. will be implemented subject to, and in accordance with, the participants' respective laws, policies and legal obligations under domestic and international law.

Paragraph X: Confidentiality

The participants will maintain the confidentiality of information collected and used in accordance with this MOU, where such information is marked confidential by participant providing the information. The participants will ensure that such information is not subject to unauthorised access, interference, use, loss or disclosure at any time without the prior written consent of the Participant which provided the information.

Paragraph XI: Dispute resolution

The participants will settle any difference or dispute relating to or arising from this MOU amicably through consultations and negotiations in good faith without reference to any international court, tribunal or other forum.

Paragraph XII: Amendments

1. This MOU may be amended at any time with the mutual written consent of the participants.
2. Any such amendment will come into effect on such date as may be jointly approved by the participants.

Paragraph XIII: Commencement, duration, review and termination

1. This MOU will come into effect on the date it has been signed by both participants and remains in effect until termination. 
2. Upon coming into effect, this MOU will supersede and replace the 2020 MOU, which the participants understand herein will be terminated at the same time, notwithstanding Paragraph X(1) of the 2020 MOU.
3. This MoU may be terminated at any time by the joint approval of both participants, or by either participant giving written notice to the other participant of its intention to terminate the MOU at least 6 months prior to the intended date of termination.
4. Without prejudice to sub-paragraph 3, the participants may, no earlier than 2 years after it has come into effect, jointly review this MOU to assess whether it should be continued, amended or terminated.
5. In the event that this MOU is terminated, such termination will not affect any decision or understanding concluded or entered into during the duration of this MOU, which will be fulfilled in accordance with the provisions of such decision or understanding, unless otherwise jointly approved by the participants.

Signatories

The foregoing represents the understandings reached between the participants.

Signed in duplicate in the English language on 16 December 2024 in Singapore. 

• For the Government of Australia: Hon Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science
• For the Government of the Republic of Singapore: H.E. Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information