Skip to main content

faster not better

Technology at the cutting edge in the labs today takes a shorter time to mature and commercialize. Companies need funds to continue their research and improve their products and service offerings which are then rolled out faster for cash flow generation and early market dominance. Inevitably, new products and software that are not directly affecting human health, like drugs and treatments, may be less regulated, thoroughly tested and inherited some imperfections. Companies would rely on their customers' and early adopters' feedback to correct these minor defects or discontinue if the market response is not good. That would be more economical than perfecting a product before launch.

 

If the impact of the product failures is not severe or frequent, compliance, regulations and insurance will remain slow to react and adopt a wait-and-see position to evaluate when larger losses come along. As a result, many new technologies and products may not be able to find competitive insurance products, and the stakeholders are not adequately protected against losses and liabilities. Some examples are:

  • Cyber-Informed & Quantum Technology
  • Autonomous Vehicles, Vessels, Drones & Robots 
  • Green Fuels -- LNG, Ammonia, Nuclear, Geothermal  
  • AI Technology  


It is worth noting the new technologies emerging in the fields of:

  • Railway, vessels, air and space
  • Medicine and medical devices    
  • New materials     
  • Industrial power equipment    

tecH my Breathe away

Autonomous Vehicles

Buses & Cars

Do I trust the Chinese software that just locked me up in a metal box with wheels? What recourse do I have against cyber attacks on AVs? 

Cybersecurity

Ai-Enabled Attacks

With more digital power, comes more cybersecurity. It isn't as simple as installing a lock or security camera. Yet the risk is real and the consequences devastating.    

AI

Deployment 

AI the Super Boy has yet to achieve its immense potential. The big brothers are fighting to establish global dominance over us. What can the boys achieve with rockets in our hands -- 

Superman or Homelander?

Too Fast Too Furious

Many years ago, for those who remembered, Singapore had a immigration policy  

to combat the declining birth rates by bringing in ethically similar Malaysians and Mainlanders. The idea was good but the tempo was a little too much. The last time the Chinese share-a-bike flooded Singapore, I lost my deposit too. Today, I see another rush into Chinese EVs and AVs because their overcapacities have pushed boundaries globally. My concerns are:


  • Who is in control on a good day? Me, my government or the software?  
  • On a bad day, how cyber secured is it? Mythos, do you know?
  • Who would hack the AVs and disrupt our rich lives from free flowing? 


For every action, I hope there is an equal reaction in risk mitigation.

The King reminds: "Wise men say, only fools rush in..." 


daily attacks 

Affluent countries like Japan and Singapore are primary targets for criminals who know that our digital systems are vulnerable especially through social engineering where we easily misplace trusts in the scammers we encounter. We are also prepared to pay ransoms and swiftly bury away the embarrassment and problems away. Unfortunately, it doesn't work this way. The phycological and emotional damage inflicted could be severe.


In addition, Singapore, located in one of the world's most important trade routes, is a prime target for cyber attacks by state actors to control, immobilize and gain leverage in peace time and in times of conflicts. Companies, big and small, as long as you are connected, are collateral damage in the cyber war of the world.   

Do we know what we don't know?

The rapid advancement of AI is inevitable once the tipping point has been crossed. History has shown that we often zealously deploy new technologies -- lead in water pipes, asbestos in homes, nuclear in bombs etc. to gain the upper hand and hope that the consequences are acceptable.


The pioneers of AI recognize this and have asked for regulatory frameworks to be established to prevent the rogue use of such powerful tools. While Singapore has largely responded to it, my view is that technical control can truly lies with the devils who know all the details. Whether it is the Americans or the Chinese who own the AI infrastructure, hardware and software design, Singapore, like all other countries, can only control its use and deployment by law.


We need a lawyer leader like PM Lee to balance the East and the West in this new era of digital colonization for the interest of Singapore! Perhaps an AI version?



the future is coming on...