[This is a sponsored article with the Singapore Government Partnerships Office.]
Singapore’s push for Artificial Intelligence (AI) has accelerated in recent years, and adoption is expected to inject billions into the economy.
To unlock this potential, the government is creating spaces that bring together industry, researchers, and public sector players to collaborate, innovate and share knowledge.
One such step Lorong AIlaunched in Jan 2025 by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI). The hub provides a platform for practitioners across disciplines to connect, exchange ideas, and collaborate on AI projects.
Lorong AI has been operating as a pilot initiative at WeWork’s Cross Street co-working space for the past year. There is work being held almost every day of the week, and in Feb 2026, Lorong AI expanded its operations to a large area in Vidacity in the north.
This expansion comes at an important time, as Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong recently announced on March 2, 2026 that Kampong AI—Singapore’s first AI park that combines workplaces and residences—will be developed on one site in the north by 2028.
Vulcan Post He went down to Lorong AI’s new location in the north to find out more about how Lorong AI is trying to bring people together in the industry, as well as other sectors.
Lorong AI is inspired by major tech hubs overseas
Talking to Vulcan PostEdmund Zhou, Lorong AI’s managing director, shared that the idea for the hub came after visits by MDDI officials to major technology centers such as Silicon Valley and Dubai’s Area 2071, a few years ago.
What they have noticed in these institutions is not just the presence of money or talent, but people meeting each other, conversations going beyond scheduled meetings, and communities building shared problems. Natural partnerships emerged from intentional interactions and spontaneity.
This provided the impetus to open a space in Singapore where ideas and collaboration on AI could flow as freely as “conversations down the street.” The name “Lorong AI” was chosen to reflect this idea – the taste of a local area where people can gather to find out what the “word on the street” is about AI.
“If you are a doctor, you can easily relate to some of the interesting things that are happening here,” said Zhou. “And if you’re someone who wants to explore, adopt, or learn more about AI, this could be the place for you.”
Lorong AI events can attract hundreds
Lorong AI started with a weekly ‘AI Wednesday’ test in 2024, before opening it to the general public.
AI Wednesday is designed for government officials, and led by scientists, engineers, and researchers, covering a variety of topics from deep technical dives into model development to discussions about emerging industry trends.
As the scope of collaboration expands, programs such as ‘Co-working Mondays,’ ‘AI ToolsDays,’ ‘ThursTalks’ and ‘Fri-DIYs’—have been added to the weekly schedule, with the recent addition of ‘Out of Lorong Experiences’ and ‘Gotong Royong.’
“No two days are the same, like every week,” said MDDI Assistant Director, Muhammad Zahari bin Abu Talib, who is also one of the MDDI officials overseeing Lorong AI’s daily operations.
Yes, the demographics of the participants are increasing again. Lorong AI now sees practitioners, industry players, and curious newcomers all coming together to learn from each other and explore potential synergies.
Although Lorong AI’s first WeWork space in Cross Street could only accommodate 70 people, the talks by industry leaders from companies such as OpenAI, Manus and Figma often attract more than 100 people, far exceeding its capacity.
While the team invites companies to share their information with the public, they draw strict lines to ensure that the collaborative space is not used as a product promotion channel. This ultimately focuses on sharing real information and building partnerships.
The importance of face-to-face interaction
In Lorong AI’s new northern space, the group foresees exciting events, workshops, and hackathons to come with its large 140-seat space.
It is purposely designed as an open-minded environment, encouraging informal discussions where anyone can enter, fostering future collaborations.
Small, tangible details—like member lines or a board that shows who’s nearby—make it easy to see each other and start talking. With so much AI talent in one place, those casual connections can quietly grow into new ideas and unexpected relationships.
While it may seem counterintuitive for a technology-driven program to emphasize physical space, the team believes that face-to-face interaction is essential to building the trust that drives partnerships. “In reality, many things seem to work slowly, and communication somehow lacks the human touch,” Zhou noted.
In addition, if a person ever needs help in any area, the Lorong AI team can suggest companies or people with experience and connect them.
From discussions to tangible results
In 2025 alone, Lorong AI saw 4,000 attendees at all its events. It now has more than 260 paying members, about two-thirds of whom are AI practitioners, with the remainder consisting of researchers and curious newcomers working on products or systems.
Apart from the locals, there were passing visitors from overseas, who during their stops in Singapore, gave lectures on Lorong AI’s programs.
Surprisingly, more than 14 collaborations have sprouted from discussions at Lorong AI. The team’s goal is simple: “We try to increase the number of collisions through both enhanced interactions through events and random interactions through collaborations.”
For example, Zhou shared that a group of members who were comparing AI models ended up collaborating and publishing a research paper together. This paper, co-authored by responsible AI and cybersecurity experts, focuses on detecting and disrupting hostile AI agents.
Another instance saw someone with a limited AI background enter Lorong AI, thinking of ways to start a business. Through community involvement, they gained the skills and knowledge needed to develop an AI fitness trainer.
Lorong AI as a fundamental piece of the larger AI puzzle
Loy Hui Chien, one of the prominent early contributors, shared that having a space like Lorong AI is important for the AI scene in Singapore.
As someone who doesn’t work in a technical environment, he found the Lorong AI community to be invaluable in his AI journey, from the basics of self-study to building a research agent that can filter sources and generate reports in minutes.
Especially in a small country like Singapore, we can do more (a lot) with fostered collaboration among the AI community in spaces like Lorong AI.
Loy Hui Chien
Zhou, who is very involved in this process, sees it as a strengthening factor: if the participants are more important from the space, like-minded people are attracted.
As Singapore positions itself in the global AI race, Lorong AI aims to play a role in building collaborative networks that will drive the nation’s AI future.
Lorong AI will play an active role [to support Singapore’s AI landscape]. What we hear from people who come is that they appreciate having a community they can turn to.
Edmund Zhou
This idea of creating collaborative spaces extends beyond Lorong AI to initiatives such as the upcoming Kampong AI, further strengthening Singapore’s commitment to partnership-driven AI development.
In a domain defined by algorithms and automation, Lorong AI is betting that the real difference can still be something human: the power of conversation.
You can find out more about Lorong AI here, and sign up for the programs through this link.
Inspired by Lorong AI’s community-driven approach? In addition to the project roadmap, Singapore’s Government Partnerships Office has launched a new SG Partnerships Fund to support citizen-led initiatives at various stages of development.
Featured Image Credit: Lorong AI
