Google DeepMind has opened a new research laboratory in Singapore to advance artificial intelligence development across the Asia Pacific region. The move is part of ongoing investment by Google to grow its presence in Southeast Asia and to address regional needs through collaborative research.
Regional focus
The Singapore research lab will host research scientists, software engineers, operations staff, and AI impact experts. Their work will centre on improving Google's AI technology for linguistic and cultural inclusivity within Asia Pacific. Activity includes advancing Gemini, Google's suite of large language models, and supporting the deployment of various AI models through Google products and cloud services.
The lab aims to work closely with local governments, businesses, civil society, and academic institutions. This collaborative approach is intended to help address the unique challenges and needs of the region through research, partnerships, and capacity-building initiatives.
Team expansion
Google DeepMind has more than doubled its Asia Pacific team size in the last year. The new Singapore facility marks its first research lab in Southeast Asia, reflecting Google's strategy to serve local communities and strengthen technological capacity in the region.
"Singapore's forward-looking approach and unique position make it the ideal place for our new Google DeepMind AI research lab. We are here to harness the region's exceptional talent, drive purposeful research, and build the essential partnerships to advance AI responsibly and deliver tangible, global impact," said Lila Ibrahim, Chief Operating Officer, Google DeepMind.
Academic links
The lab builds on ongoing regional collaborations. Notably, researchers at Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National Neuroscience Institute used DeepMind's AlphaFold in studies aimed at better understanding Parkinson's disease. Government agencies, including GovTech and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, have also engaged with Google in developing and testing AI-powered solutions for public sector services.
Language model development
Google DeepMind, in partnership with AI Singapore, has contributed to projects focused on language diversity. These include Project Aquarium, an open data platform for Southeast Asian languages, and SEA-LION, a suite of large language models trained on culturally and linguistically representative datasets. The recent launch of SEA-LION v4, the first multimodal model in the series, builds on these collaborative efforts by using Gemma 3's capabilities.
Educational initiatives are also part of the partnership, with Singaporean students receiving one-year free access to the Google AI Pro Plan. The Gemini Academy has been introduced to broaden AI literacy through programmes organised with the Singapore Digital Office.
Startup support
Google is supporting local startups by offering its Google for Startups: AI First accelerator. The accelerator helps founders use generative AI technologies to address economic, societal, and environmental priorities. This includes mentorship, infrastructure, and access to Google's network and technical resources.
"We welcome Google DeepMind's decision to establish its first research lab in Southeast Asia in Singapore - an important addition to Singapore's efforts to build a hub for AI innovation across Asia Pacific. Partnering with DeepMind will help to advance impactful and innovative solutions to global challenges in areas such as healthcare, energy, and climate. This collaboration will also create new opportunities for Singapore's talent and research community, providing them with access to world-class AI tools for scientific research and discovery," said Jermaine Loy, Managing Director, EDB.
Google's President for Asia Pacific, Sanjay Gupta, highlighted the laboratory's significance for the regional technology ecosystem. Dr Leslie Teo of AI Singapore stressed the importance of developing AI systems that reflect Southeast Asian cultural and linguistic contexts.
