Grab launched its first Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Singapore, with funding from Digital Industry Singapore (DISG). The centre aims to create scalable AI solutions that address Southeast Asia’s specific concerns, such as urban congestion, accessibility, and productivity. It also emphasises cross-sector collaboration and deep tech talent development, bolstering Singapore’s position as a strategic base for Grab’s AI goals and an emerging leader in AI innovation across Asia-Pacific. Grab’s launch of the AI Centre of Excellence Singapore marks a strategic milestone in advancing region-specific AI innovation.
Investing in AI to Build a Smarter Southeast Asia
Grab has announced its own Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI COE), which is ideally positioned at its headquarters in One-North Singapore. The centre, created in close collaboration with Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), is intended to pioneer innovation in AI technologies that improve digital accessibility, productivity, and sustainable development throughout the region.
The AI COE is a strategic effort that will use Grab’s large platform and data to create AI solutions that address real-world situations. By emphasising accessibility, productivity, and urban development, the centre hopes to produce technologies that benefit a wide range of users, including underserved populations, small enterprises, and government organisations.
Being Southeast Asia’s largest superapp, Grab sees the AI COE as a catalyst for revolutionising ordinary services with intelligent solutions. With over 1,000 AI models already in use across its platform, Grab intends to broaden its AI-first strategy by developing additional applications to address regional concerns and promote equitable growth. Suthen Thomas, Grab’s Chief Technology Officer, said that,
Grab is uniquely positioned to turn these breakthroughs into meaningful solutions that tackle real-world challenges by leveraging our rich data, expansive platform, and passionate talent. This is what it means to be AI-first with heart, and it’s the driving force behind the launch of our AI Centre of Excellence.
Grab’s AI COE is being positioned as a long-term economic facilitator for Southeast Asia, rather than simply a product innovation lab. With a strong emphasis on public-private collaboration, the AI COE also aligns with Singapore’s Smart Nation goals and the government’s strategic roadmap to become a global AI leader by 2030.
Core Focus Areas of Grab’s AI Centre of Excellence
- Inclusive AI for Accessibility:
Grab is enhancing digital inclusion with a new Voice Assistant, co-developed with the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), to help visually impaired users book rides via voice commands. Powered by OpenAI and trained on 80,000 local voice samples, it has boosted recognition accuracy from 46% to 89%. A voice donation feature launching in June will enhance the tool further, with future updates planned for seniors and tech-novice users.
- AI to Drive Productivity and Growth:
Grab is developing a proprietary AI foundation model, trained on real-world platform data, to deliver hyper-personalised insights for users, driver-partners, and merchants. Key tools include the AI Driver Companion, offering real-time routing, location suggestions, and performance-based rewards, and the AI Merchant Assistant, which provides tailored business insights and operational support.
- Smart City Solutions with AI:
Grab is supporting smart nation initiatives through Internet of Things (IoT) solutions like KartaDongle and KartaDashcam, which enable real-time road hazard alerts, traffic monitoring, and flood detection. In partnership with Singapore’s PUB, Grab combines vehicle-based data with flood sensor inputs to deliver timely alerts to drivers and enhance emergency response efforts.
Academic Collaboration for Regional Impact
Moreover, Grab has collaborated with the National University of Singapore (NUS) to address urban transportation concerns through a combined AI lab in the Innovation 4.0 building. With a S$6 million investment, 28 academics will use Grab’s transportation data to improve traffic flow, identify congestion, and enhance navigation. The initiative also promotes AI talent development via PhD training.
In parallel, Grab intends to generate over 50 high-value AI positions by 2025 in sectors such as product, engineering, and data science, thereby strengthening Singapore’s AI ecosystem. The AI Centre of Excellence will also work with academic institutions to provide real-time solutions like road danger detection and dynamic flood monitoring.
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