Nvidia to open 1st research hub in S'pore focused on embodied AI

Singapore will be getting a new artificial intelligence research centre from Nvidia as the country ramps up efforts to strengthen its position as a regional AI hub.

According to CNBC, the new research centre will be Nvidia's first research hub in Singapore and only its second such presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The centre will focus on advancing embodied AI and improving the efficiency of AI infrastructure, working alongside university researchers, industry partners and government agencies.

Singapore is placing particular emphasis on embodied AI, a category that includes robots, autonomous vehicles and drones, which is widely viewed as a key next frontier in AI development, per CNBC.

S'pore also launching AI robotics testbed

CNBC reported that Singapore will also launch a testbed later in 2026 that will allow companies to co-design, test and validate commercially viable AI robotic technologies. Companies expected to participate include Certis, DHL, Grab and QuikBot.

The government will also work with robotics firms such as Slamtec, Unitree and QuikBot through a new Centre for Intelligent Robotics to test AI use cases involving food and parcel delivery, cleaning and security patrols. These applications are intended to complement existing human operations.

The announcements were made on the opening day of Singapore's ATxSummit technology conference, which has placed significant focus on AI this year.

Huang had earlier said that Singapore was the ideal place to develop AI foundation models.