Singapore public officers to use Meta LLM to build AI applications

The Singapore government, in collaboration with tech company Meta, has launched the Llama Incubator Programme, which is designed to build capabilities and drive innovation on open-source artificial intelligence (AI) among local start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the public sector agencies. 

GovTech Singapore’s Chief Executive, Goh Wei Boon, noted that the Llama Incubator Programme was an excellent platform for the public service to customise AI solutions for its specific needs.  

“The government track provides public officers with the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners in developing innovative AI-driven solutions. GovTech looks forward to collaborating with Meta on this initiative,” according to him, as highlighted in a GovTech's LinkedIn post. 

Meta is collaborating with several government agencies, including the Ministry of Digital Development & Information (MDDI), InfoComm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), AI Singapore, and SGInnovate. 

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SGInnovate recently invited proposals from SMEs for the programme which it said aims to help startups scale faster and enterprises be smarter by using responsible open-source AI.  

Empowering SMEs 

SGInnovate said the programme will empower Singapore’s SMEs and startups by supporting 40 digitally ready businesses over six months.   

The startup track is a capacity-building drive aimed at helping startups integrate AI into their businesses, access new markets, and secure venture capital (VC) funding. Participants will focus on refining their MVP concepts, validating prototypes, and preparing go-to-market strategies. 

The official statement highlighted the value of open-source AI in “uniting diverse stakeholders to address complex strategic challenges across multiple sectors.” 

The programme will also centre around AI safety, where participants will learn about Llama trust and safety tools, as well as IMDA’s safety testing framework and AI Verify’s open-source testing toolkit, Project Moonshot. 

Meta’s Vice President of Public Policy for APAC, Simon Milner, said that Singapore was the first country in the Asia-Pacific region where Meta has organised the programme. 

Dedicated mentorship 

Over the course of six months, each participant will receive dedicated technical and business mentorship from industry experts, providing tailored advice and feedback, Milner said.  

Participants will also gain access to technical resources, enabling them to further develop and refine their Llama use cases, he added.  

DISG’s Executive Director, Philbert Gomez said Meta's Llama Incubator Programme empowers Singapore-based startups and corporates to leverage Llama models and expert mentorship to build Al solutions for real-world impact.  

“Along with Meta’s product engineering presence based here, programmes like this continue to drive AI talent and capability development in Singapore, reinforcing Singapore's ambition to be a leading hub for AI Innovation in the region,” Gomez said. 

The programme is part of the company’s Upskill with Meta initiative in Singapore, that will culminate in a Demo Day in October 2025, Milner added.  

On this day, participants will showcase their Llama solutions and demonstrate how they can effectively address real-world challenges and drive efficiencies for business and the public sector.