Abstract

For AI governance to reflect societal values, it must be grounded in active public participation and a clear understanding of public opinion. Without meaningful public engagement, some AI governance policies could inadvertently undermine rights and weaken trust. Too often, emerging technologies are shaped by industry and policymakers, while the wider public is sidelined. Integrating public perspectives into innovation frameworks fosters AI ecosystems that are both robust and socially sustainable. As countries pursue AI ambitions, progress must be balanced with safeguards for public safety and security.

In this session, Merve Hickok, President of the Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP), will discuss democratic values such as mechanisms for public participation, impact assessments, independent oversight, and contestable frameworks that embed the public’s voice throughout the AI lifecycle, thereby ensuring that AI remains accountable and human-centric. Hickok will also share the objectives and findings from the annual publication CAIDP Index which provides a comparative analysis of national AI policies of 80 countries.

Hickok’s talk will be followed by the launch of two policy reports by the Future Issues & Technology (FIT) Cluster in RSIS (Karryl Kim Trajano and Ysa Marie Cayabyab), done in collaboration with the Centre for Information Integrity and the Internet (IN-cube) of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), NTU Singapore.

The first report, “Navigating Public Opinion on AI in Singapore: Awareness, Perceptions and Vulnerabilities” presents findings from a national survey on public perceptions of AI in Singapore. It examines AI diffusion, awareness, and vulnerabilities, revealing gaps in knowledge, a widening AI divide, and concerns over harm and ethics. The report stresses that stronger governance and public engagement are needed to harness AI’s benefits while safeguarding society.

The second report, “Trust as a Strategic Asset: AI and Domestic Confidence in Singapore amid US-China Dynamics” (in press) explores public trust in AI adoption, R&D, and regulation. While support for AI is broad, confidence varies: domestic institutions enjoy high trust, while international organisations and major powers like the US and China face scepticism. These findings underline that public attitudes are context-specific, and future policy must build on local trust.

Together, the three presentations will highlight the importance of embedding public voices in governance to safeguard democracy, strengthen legitimacy, and build resilient AI ecosystems.

About the Speakers

Merve Hickok is the President of Center for AI & Digital Policy (CAIDP). She is a globally renowned, award-winning AI policy, ethics and governance professional. CAIDP educates AI policy practitioners and advocates across 120+ countries, and advises international organizations. Merve previously testified at the US Congress, State of California, New York City and Detroit City. She provides AI policy expertise to OECD.AI, UNESCO, GPAI and the Council of Europe. Merve Hickok is also the founder of AIethicist.org. Her work focuses on impact of AI systems on individuals, businesses and society. Merve is the author of “From Trustworthy AI Principles to Public Procurement Practices.”

Karryl Kim Sagun Trajano is a Research Fellow for Future Issues and Technology (FIT) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. She specialises in strategic and policy research on emerging and frontier technologies (AI, space, quantum, and novel energy sources). Her interdisciplinary work focuses on technology governance in the Asia-Pacific, working with technical experts and social scientists to assess policy implications. She is the PI of the multi-year project “Multi-stage Investigation of Expert and Public Opinion on Key Emerging Technologies in Singapore,” which examines shifting stakeholder perspectives on critical technologies.

Ysa Marie Cayabyab is Associate Research Fellow for FIT at RSIS. She possesses extensive research experience in digital media, consumer research, and health communication. Her work spans the design and evaluation of digitally-mediated communication systems and the adoption and diffusion of emerging technologies. She has conducted studies on user engagement with web- and mobile-based applications and has validated several instruments to measure and track attitudinal and behavioural trends.

About the Chairperson

Benjamin Ang is Senior Fellow and Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS), oversees Future Issues in Technology (FIT), as well as Head of Digital Impact Research (DIR) at RSIS.

At FIT, he leads the team exploring policy issues in artificial intelligence, space, quantum technology, smart cities, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies.