- ST Engineering announced a five-year, $250 million AI Research Translation program for Physical AI, focused on advancing robotics, swarm, and humanoid systems in collaboration with academic and research partners.
- The initiative’s first phase centers on human-machine teaming, showcased through the Manned-Unmanned Teaming Operating System (MUMTOS), which coordinates robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles for commercial and humanitarian applications.
- The program includes a roadmap to build 5,000 AI engineers, reflecting ST Engineering’s broader strategy to scale AI deployment across industries and strengthen Singapore’s role as a hub for next-generation technologies.
ST Engineering announced a five-year, $250 million AI Research Translation program for Physical AI at its InnoTech Conference 2025 in Singapore. According to the company, initiative, funded and led by ST Engineering in collaboration with academic and research partners, aims to advance robotics, swarm, and humanoid systems to address complex operational challenges.
“AI enables faster, smarter decision-making by processing vast amounts of data, helping organizations and individuals navigate increasingly complex and dynamic environments,” Low Jin Phang, President, Digital Systems, ST Engineering, said in a statement. “But it is no substitute for humans. We believe humans are needed to interpret insights, make nuanced choices and guide AI towards meaningful outcomes. That is why we are investing in our people, with a clear roadmap to further develop our AI-ready workforce across the Group.”
The program’s initial phase will focus on human-machine teaming, with applications in both commercial and humanitarian domains, the company said. A first look was offered through the Manned-Unmanned Teaming Operating System (MUMTOS), which coordinates robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles. Designed as a hub for human-machine collaboration, MUMTOS supports rescue and emergency operations by assessing risks, providing real-time updates, and enabling faster response times, ST Engineering noted.
ST Engineering said the investment builds on years of applying AI across multiple sectors, positioning the company to move advanced AI and robotics from research into practical deployment. The company indicated it already employs 10,000 AI-ready emplyees, 1,000 AI specialists focused on the “development of AI modules, cybersecurity for AI, and agentic AI systems,” and is targeting to have 5,000 AI engineers through additional training and specialization initiatives.
