Google has announced new initiatives to bolster Singapore’s cyber defences using Artificial Intelligence (AI), reaffirming its partnership with the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA). The announcement was made during the Singapore International Cyber Week 2025, highlighting a shared focus on strengthening public sector resilience, enabling collaboration between government and industry, and improving cyber awareness among businesses and citizens.
The renewed partnership between Google and CSA is formalised through a new Memorandum of Cooperation. It focuses on AI-driven intelligence sharing, joint operations against malicious activities, and technical collaboration to advance AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. The agreement also includes capacity-building efforts to ensure Singapore’s defences evolve with emerging threats.
This builds on past initiatives, including a 2023 collaboration between Google, CSA, GovTech, and IMDA to develop an AI agents sandbox for testing public sector use cases. The sandbox aimed to identify how AI systems can be securely deployed while managing the growing risks of autonomous and agentic technologies.
David Koh, Chief Executive of CSA, said, “As AI permeates more aspects of our everyday lives, AI security has become more critical, especially when it comes to developing areas like agentic AI. We welcome the efforts of Google, and look forward to continued collaboration to advance our shared mission of building a safer cyberspace for all users.”
Royal Hansen, Vice President of Engineering at Google, added, “AI has given us a historic opportunity to reshape the cybersecurity landscape. By leveraging it proactively, we can tilt the balance from attackers to defenders to strengthen cyber resilience. However, technology is just one piece of the puzzle, which is why public-private partnerships such as the one between Google and CSA are a strategic imperative to help us deploy, learn and iterate on how we can leverage AI successfully for cybersecurity.”
Building stronger public sector resilience
Singapore’s government agencies are increasingly adopting AI for operations and public service delivery, creating a need for stronger security foundations. To address this, the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) has implemented Google Cloud Cybershield, an AI-powered defence solution designed for national-scale protection.
Cybershield tackles key security challenges such as fragmented data, limited attacker visibility, and a shortage of cybersecurity talent. It operates through two main components: a nationwide Security Operations Centre (SOC) for federated threat detection, and access to expert guidance from Google’s threat intelligence subsidiary, Mandiant. Together, they enable agencies to proactively detect and respond to threats with confidence.
This marks a major step forward in integrating advanced AI into the public sector’s defence ecosystem, ensuring that Singapore’s digital infrastructure remains secure as it continues its transformation towards a Smart Nation.
Empowering businesses and individuals
Beyond government initiatives, Google is also focusing on supporting small businesses, non-profits, and individuals who face growing digital risks. Through Google.org, the company is funding The Asia Foundation to launch student-led Cybersecurity Clinics at Temasek Polytechnic and Singapore Polytechnic.
These clinics will provide Cyber Essentials workshops for employees of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), focusing on areas such as phishing awareness, data backup practices, and general cyber hygiene. The programme, part of the Google.org APAC Cybersecurity Fund, aims to improve the region’s digital resilience while nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
To help individuals recognise and avoid scams, Google is introducing Be Scam Ready, an interactive game that trains players to identify manipulation techniques used by scammers. The game presents simulated scam scenarios in a safe environment, helping users build psychological awareness and resilience.
Additionally, Google has rolled out enhanced protection features on Google Messages. These include “Safer links,” which alert users when they attempt to open suspicious URLs, and “Key Verifier,” which enables users to confirm the authenticity of encrypted conversations by scanning a QR code from a trusted contact.
The company’s wider anti-fraud measures have already made a significant impact. As of September 2025, Google Play Protect has blocked 2.78 million high-risk app installation attempts from unverified sources such as web browsers and file-sharing apps. It also prevented the misuse of over 48,000 unique apps for potential financial fraud and scams, protecting more than 622,000 devices in Singapore.
Through these combined efforts, Google aims to make Singapore’s digital environment safer and more resilient for organisations and individuals alike.
