The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) announced partnerships with local technology companies NCS and ST Engineering on Thursday to develop AI-powered solutions for social services.
Speaking at the event, Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli said the government will work with the sector to combine technological innovation with frontline expertise.
The investment will fund new technology solutions, research and partnerships as Singapore, ranked the world’s second-richest country by GDP per capita in 2025 by The Economist, seeks to become a global leader in using AI for social good, according to Channel News Asia.
The partnerships aim to better support clients and families, equip professionals with tools to improve their workflow, and enhance safety and operations at residential homes and social service centers.
View of Singapore’s skyline featuring the famous Merlion fountain. Photo from Pexels
One of the ministry’s priorities is to use data to identify people at risk and support families before problems escalate, Masagos said.
AI is already being used across Singapore’s social service sector, from facial recognition for medication verification to digital platforms that assist case workers.
While AI is playing a growing role in social services in Singapore and globally, Masagos acknowledged concerns that it could replace human workers.
“AI is not a silver bullet, nor can it replace the care professional,” The Straits Times quoted Masagos as saying. “But used well, AI can help us reach further, respond faster and support families more effectively than ever before.”
Sector leaders said AI could also help social workers manage increasingly complex cases by prioritizing urgent concerns and consolidating information from multiple agencies to provide a more complete picture of clients.
Fareez Fahmy, CEO of social service agency Allkin Singapore, said better use of data could shift social work from crisis response toward earlier intervention, allowing support to reach families before financial hardship, caregiving pressures and family conflict escalate.
However, sector leaders said AI cannot replace the core work of social workers. Fareez said the technology can support decision-making but cannot fully capture a person’s circumstances or replace professional judgment.
Christian Chao, chief executive of Care Corner Singapore, added that AI cannot build trust with families or assess risks, leaving those responsibilities to trained professionals.
Subsidiary of VnExpress
License number: 71/GP-CBC, Ministry of Information and
Communications, September 22, 2021
Editor-in-Chief: Pham Van Hieu
Email: evne@vnexpress.netTel: 028 7300 9999 – Ext 8556
10th floor, Block A FPT Tower, 10 Pham Van Bach, Cau Giay Ward, Hanoi
© Copyright 1997-2026 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved.
Leave a Reply