Cyprus Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides, alongside High Commissioner Nikos Panayiotou, recently wrapped up a week of pivotal discussions in Singapore. The mission aimed to strengthen collaborations and explore AI policy frameworks, advancing Cyprus’ goal of becoming a regional innovation hub by 2035.
A key highlight of the visit was the Asia Innovation AI Summit 2024, organized by The Economist. The event provided a platform to showcase Cyprus’ Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystem while facilitating dialogue with global leaders in AI policy and development.
This visit aligns with Cyprus’ ongoing efforts to update its National AI Strategy for 2020–2025, under the broader Vision 2035 initiative. The strategy emphasizes leveraging technology to enhance research, innovation, and economic competitiveness.
During the summit, which ran from November 27 to 30, Skourides and Panayiotou engaged with prominent figures such as Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, and Japan’s Assistant Vice Minister for International Affairs, Yoichi Iida. Other notable participants included Andrea Phua from Singapore’s National AI Group, Jacqueline Poh of the Singapore Economic Development Board, and Jason Grant from the Centre for AI and Data Governance at SMU Urban Institute. Industry leaders from Canva, Google, and AWS also contributed insights.
The event showcased Singapore’s strategic AI initiatives, including its Model AI Governance Framework, which balances innovation with ethical considerations. Japan’s Hiroshima AI Process, focusing on agile, risk-based regulation, also offered valuable perspectives for Cyprus as it refines its AI governance approach.
Josephine Teo highlighted Singapore’s AI ecosystem, which includes over 1,100 startups and 150 R&D teams. The country’s infrastructure supports AI-driven societal and economic transformation, training 15,000 specialists and leveraging a 300GW data center capacity. Japan’s multistakeholder regulatory model provided further guidance for Cyprus as it aims to foster innovation while managing associated risks.
Discussions also delved into specific applications of AI. Skourides explored GDPR-compliant private cloud AI solutions with Gustavo Fuchs, Google’s Global Head of AI Infrastructure. He also discussed the use of AI in public healthcare with Eleni Dimokidis, AWS Head of Healthcare Technology for the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing applications in diagnosis, prediction, and personalized medicine.
Skourides underscored the urgency of adopting robust AI strategies, stating, “Cyprus must develop foundational systems to enable transformation, as plug-and-play solutions are insufficient for sustained innovation.”
The Cypriot delegation, hosted by Sintia Teddy-Ang of AI Singapore, learned about Singapore’s national AI program, launched in 2017. Achievements include over 300 engaged companies, 60 completed projects, and numerous AI experiments in sectors like healthcare and finance. AI Singapore’s initiatives, such as the AI Makerspace platform and programs like AI4Industry, were presented as models for potential collaboration with Cyprus’ Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF).
Strategic meetings extended to global investors, including representatives from Temasek International, a major investment firm managing over 700 portfolio companies. Skourides showcased Cyprus’ innovation index and startup ecosystem, highlighting investment opportunities in R&D.
Additional engagements included discussions with John Lim of Singapore’s National Research Foundation on the RIE 2025 strategy, which focuses on key domains such as human health, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing. Collaboration opportunities with ASTAR’s Science and Engineering Research Council and ASEAN SCALE HUB were also explored, emphasizing environmental sustainability and startup mobility.
The delegation also met with Dimitris Angelaki, a researcher at the Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore, to gain insights into Singapore’s quantum computing initiatives. Angelaki emphasized the importance of nurturing startups for commercialization in this emerging field.
In concluding their visit, the Cypriot delegation explored potential partnerships with an Indian system integrator interested in establishing a presence in Cyprus to complement its global operations.
Skourides reflected on the significance of these alliances, noting, “Strategic partnerships are crucial for advancing Cyprus’ research excellence and realizing Vision 2035.” He expressed optimism about Cyprus hosting its first quantum computing startup and confirmed plans for follow-up engagements in early 2025, including participation in GITEX Asia 2025.
These initiatives underscore Cyprus’ commitment to fostering global collaboration and positioning itself as a leader in AI and innovation.
