Grab has launched its first Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI COE) in Singapore to accelerate AI-driven solutions that improve accessibility, boost productivity and growth as well as contribute to smart nation building across Southeast Asia.
Additionally, the centre is expected to generate at least 50 high-value roles this year across product innovation, engineering, data science and analytics. This will help Singaporeans to work on AI innovations that address the region's unique challenges, which can also potentially be exported to markets globally.
The AI COE is located at Tower B of GrabHQ@One North and backed by Digital Industry of Singapore (DISG). Its launch ceremony was officiated by guest-of-honour, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Gan Kim Yong, together with Grab’s co-founder and group chief executive officer Anthony Tan; president and chief operating officer Alex Hungate; and chief technology officer Suthen Thomas.
Among the innovations displayed at the launch was Grab’s voice assistant feature that enables visually-impaired users to book Grab rides using voice commands.
Developed in collaboration with the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), the new feature falls in line with Grab’s commitment to developing solutions that make digital services more accessible for underserved communities which include individuals with disabilities, the elderly and those less familiar with technology.
The voice assistant was built on OpenAI models and was fine-tuned by Grab. By collecting and utilising about 80,000 local Singaporean voice samples and names of points of interest, Grab has boosted the feature's ability to recognise Singaporean accents and building names from 46% to 89%.
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Beyond that feature, Grab also showcased its new driver AI companion tool and its merchant AI assistant which aim to boost productivity of employees, gig workers and small businesses.
“With over 1,000 AI models powering our platform, we have seen firsthand how we can leverage AI to improve lives. Recent advancements in AI hold the promise to transform how we interact with technology, foster innovation and bridge digital divides,” says Thomas
He adds: “Grab is uniquely positioned to turn these breakthroughs into meaningful solutions that tackle real-world challenges by leveraging rich data, expansive platforms and passionate talent. That is what it means to be AI-first with heart.”
