Filtered by: Department of Computer Science
Associate Professor Ooi Wei Tsang from the Department of Computer Science was featured in a report by The Business Times on the rapid uptake of new open-source AI agent OpenClaw and the risks it raises for enterprise use.
The article looks at how tools like OpenClaw can carry out multi-step tasks with minimal human input, allowing users to automate workflows quickly. However, this ease of use also means such tools may be deployed without proper oversight or safeguards.
A/Prof Ooi cautioned that using these systems without appropriate controls can expose organisations to significant risks.
He likened it to “hiring an intern who blindly obeys instructions, while still giving them deep access to enterprise system, and allowing external parties to send instructions directly.”
A/Prof Ooi added that large language models can produce incorrect or misleading instructions, which may lead to unintended or harmful actions when executed by autonomous systems.
The report highlights growing concerns around “shadow AI”, where such tools are used outside formal IT governance, and the need for stronger safeguards including validation, human oversight and secure system design.
Channel 8's current affairs programme, Hello Singapore, featured Professor Anthony Tung from the Department of Computer Science in a panel discussion on how Singapore can hold its ground in the age of AI – alongside Minister of State for Digital Development and Information (MDDI) and Education, Jasmin Lau, and a media professional.
On the most essential AI skill, Prof Tung kept it simple: Learn to ask better questions. Where most of us are trained to find answers, he argued that the real shift is learning to prompt, to engage AI in a genuine dialogue.
"You can ask AI to introduce 10 useful prompts for your personal use. AI can then customise a learning plan for you – learn to have a dialogue with it, as if it were a real teacher."
Asked which AI initiative Singaporeans should pay closest attention to, Prof Tung pointed to Singapore's AI Mission. His reasoning was that progress with AI is not about speed, but about direction.
"Learning or using AI isn't about being slow – it's about not standing still. Set a goal, and keep moving forward."
On raising kids in the era of AI, Prof Tung drew on classical Chinese philosophy to make his point. He invoked the Zhuangzi principle of 物物而不物于物 – that one should master things, not be mastered by them. In his view, the humanities are not a retreat from technology; they are its counterweight. "AI is a tool. We set goals, let it work for us, and don't let it replace us." That is why, he added, he places emphasis on culture, philosophy, and human thinking in his daughter's upbringing – qualities that remain stubbornly beyond what any algorithm can replicate.
For students anxious about graduating into an AI-transformed job market, his counsel was steadying: cultivate curiosity, not anxiety.
"You set a goal, enjoy the process, and have an experience of self-driven growth. When a new challenge comes, it's a chance to learn something new."
Lianhe Zaobao reported on the Government’s AI initiatives announced in Budget 2026, including the establishment of a National AI Council chaired by the Prime Minister and the prioritisation of four sectors for AI transformation.
Professor Anthony Tung from the Department of Computer Science noted that AI has moved beyond the remit of individual agencies and now requires coordinated, high-level alignment across sectors.
"AI has already gone beyond individual institutions. Policy planning and resource allocation need to be coordinated at a high level, covering areas such as economic structure, employment patterns, social governance, public services, and national security."
The article highlighted four priority areas – advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare – for early AI transformation. Prof Tung explained why sector-specific systems are essential:
"Advanced manufacturing is an important pillar of Singapore’s economy. What is needed are precise and stable systems, not general-purpose AI models."
Professor Anthony Tung was featured in a Channel 8 News explainer segment on advanced persistent threats (APT), following reports of a hacking group targeting Singapore’s telecommunications systems.
Professor Tung explained how APT actors differ from conventional cyberattacks:
"If conventional cyberattacks are like bandits who break in and leave after taking what they can, an APT is more like an undercover agent. Its goal isn't immediate theft, but intelligence-gathering – quietly collecting sensitive data and remaining embedded for as long as possible, gaining progressively deeper access within the system."
He noted that telecommunications networks function as a central connective infrastructure, with banking systems, transport networks, and AI-enabled services all dependent on communications connectivity.
"Telecommunications networks are a central system – information flows through them. If they are compromised, it affects efficiency and potentially critical services."
Prof Tung also highlighted Singapore’s role as a regional aviation and maritime hub, underscoring why such infrastructure may be attractive targets. He emphasised the importance of maintaining resilient systems that are monitorable, isolatable, and recoverable – ensuring incidents can be contained, restored, and strengthened against future threats.