Future Issues And Technology (FIT)

The Future Issues and Technology (FIT) research cluster supports the development of RSIS’ research agenda on emerging issues where science and technology intersect with national security. FIT works collaboratively with a wide range of RSIS stakeholders to explore and incubate topics that could become new research areas and builds up RSIS’ networks with science and technology experts and researchers working on ideas yet to enter the mainstream. FIT’s current focus areas include: (1) AI & Data, (2) Technology & Geopolitics, (3) Science & Technology’s Evolving Relationship with National Security, (4) Space, (5) Biotechnology, and (6) Quantum technologies.

Publications

2024

Karryl Sagun-Trajano and Nuurrianti Jalli, “AI and Elections: Lessons for Southeast Asia,” RSIS Commentary, February 16, 2024 [PDF]
Benjamin Ang, Karryl Sagun-Trajano, Lynette Tan, Shankar Sivaprakasam, and Erick Lansard , “Science, Technology and Security, January 2024,” Future Issues, January 31, 2024 [PDF]
Jose Miguelito Enriquez, “Singapore’s Proposal on Global Generative AI Governance,” RSIS Commentary, January 30, 2024 [PDF]

2023

Tan Teck Boon, “The Threat Posed by Unmanned Surface Vessels” RSIS Commentary, December 28, 2023 [PDF]
Karryl Sagun-Trajano, Benjamin Ang, “We Need to Prevent a Global AI Arms Race Now” RSIS Commentary, December 14, 2023 [PDF]
Julius Cesar Imperial Trajano, Jeselyn, Mely Caballero-Anthony, “Advances in Biotechnology: The Need to Strengthen Biosecurity” RSIS Commentary, December 14, 2023 [PDF]
Simon Cleobury, “Barriers to New Arms Control Regulation on AI?” IDSS Paper, November 29, 2023 [PDF]
Manoj Harjani, Gatra Priyandita, “What’s Next for 5G in Southeast Asia?” RSIS Commentary, November 7, 2023 [PDF]
Jose Miguelito Enriquez, “Global Data Governance: ASEAN Pathways to Regional and International Leadership,” RSIS Commentary, October 3, 2023 [PDF]
Benjamin Ang, Karryl Sagun-Trajano, Aaron Maniam, Simon Chesterman and Shashi Jayakumar, “Science, Technology and Security, September 2023,” Future Issues, September 26, 2023 [PDF]
Karryl Sagun-Trajano, “Artificial Intelligence Governance: Lessons from Decades of Nuclear Regulation,” RSIS Commentary, September 21, 2023 [PDF]
Tan Teck Boon, “Unmanned Systems: The Threat to Public Safety,” RSIS Commentary, August 14, 2023 [PDF]
Karryl Sagun-Trajano, “How ASEAN can Contribute to International AI Governance Frameworks,” RSIS Commentary, August 14, 2023 [PDF]
Manoj Harjani and Stefanie Kam, “Domestic Politics and the US-China Chip War,” IDSS Paper, February 15, 2023 [PDF]
Quentin Verspieren, “ASEAN Space Programmes: Navigating Regional Rivalries,” RSIS Commentary, January 18, 2023 [PDF] [By Invitation]
David Joseph, “The Cryptography Race: Securing Systems Before Quantum Computers Arrive,” RSIS Commentary, January 13, 2023 [PDF] [By Invitation]
Benjamin Ang, Terence Ho, and Shashi Jayakumar, “Commentary: The good, bad and unknowns of letting Singapore’s civil servants use ChatGPT”, Today, 1 March 2023[Article]

2022

Manoj Harjani, “Singapore’s Sanctions Against Russia: What Are the Long-Term Implications?” in US-Singapore: Advancing Technological Collaboration and Innovation in Southeast Asia, ed. Mark Bryan Manatan (Honolulu: Pacific Forum, September 2022), 7-12 [PDF]
Manoj Harjani and Shantanu Sharma, “Will Quantum Supply Chains Fall Victim to Geopolitics?” IDSS Paper, August 18, 2022 [PDF]. Reprinted in The Straits Times [Article, $]
Hannah Sworn and Manoj Harjani, “US–China Economic Competition Rests on Intellectual Property,” East Asia Forum, 29 June 2022 [Article]
Shantanu Sharma and Manoj Harjani, “Rethinking the ‘Quantum Apocalypse’,” RSIS Commentary, May 20, 2022 [PDF]
Manoj Harjani, “Indigenous 6G: Can India Pull It Off?” 360info, 16 May 2022 [Article]
Manoj Harjani and Tan Ming Hui, “Can an Antifragile Mindset Help Reframe the China-US Tech Rivalry?” The Diplomat, April 27, 2022 [Article, $]
Shashi Jayakumar, “State Surveillance – Where Do We Draw the Line?” The Straits Times, February 28, 2022 [Article, $]

2021

Tan Ming Hui and Manoj Harjani, “Endemic COVID-19: Can S-E Asia Stay on Track Despite Omicron?” The Straits Times, December 24, 2021 [Article, $]
Manoj Harjani and Teo Yi-Ling, “The Paradox of Scaling AI: New Age or Future Winter?” RSIS Commentary, December 14, 2021 [PDF]
Manoj Harjani and Auyong Hawyee, “Singapore’s AI ‘Living Lab’: Safety Rules Essential,” RSIS Commentary, September 28, 2021 [PDF]
Manoj Harjani, “Is the EU’s AI Legislation a Good Fit for ASEAN?” East Asia Forum, July 14, 2021 [Article]
Manoj Harjani, “Is Southeast Asia Ready for a US-China Tech Decoupling?” The Interpreter, May 31, 2021 [Article]
Manoj Harjani and Tan Ming Hui, “The COVID-19 Endgame: Does Southeast Asia Need More Than Resilience?” The Diplomat, March 31, 2021 [Article, $]
Manoj Harjani, “Facial Recognition: More Peril than Promise?” RSIS Commentary, February 10, 2021 [PDF]
Shashi Jayakumar, “Trust, Tracking, Transparency – Road Bumps in Spore’s Smart Nation Journey,” The Straits Times, February 5, 2021 [Article, $]
Teo Yi-Ling and Manoj Harjani, “Smart Nation: Privacy Protection and Public Trust,” RSIS Commentary, February 2, 2021 [PDF]

2020

Basil Bitas and Manoj Harjani, “We Are All Stakeholders in an AI-Supplemented World: Sino-US Rivalry and the Management of a Globally Transformative Technology,” China and the World 3, no. 4 (December 2020): 2050014 [Article, $]
Manoj Harjani, Dymples Leong and Teo Yi-Ling, “Artificial Intelligence: Sustaining Singapore’s AI Ambitions,” RSIS Commentary, November 24, 2020 [PDF]
Shashi Jayakumar and Manoj Harjani, “Between Byte and Bark: Singapore, US & Chinese Tech,” RSIS Commentary, October 16, 2020. Reprinted in Today [Article]
Shashi Jayakumar and Manoj Harjani, “Choosing Sides? 5G and Techno-nationalism,” The Straits Times, July 8, 2020 [Article, $]. Reprinted in RSIS Commentary [PDF]
Manoj Harjani, “Early Warning Systems: Stumbling Blocks Post-Pandemic,” RSIS Commentary, June 16, 2020 [PDF]

Events

2023

RSIS Webinar on “Opportunities and Challenges in Cislunar Space and the Moon” (25 May 2023) [Event Page]
RSIS Webinar on “Ensuring Safe and Sustainable Access to Space: Managing an Increasingly Congested Orbital Environment” (22 June 2023) [Event Page]
RSIS Roundtable on “Whither Space Security? Reducing Space Threats and Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space” (27 July 2023) [Event Page]

2022

RSIS-ANU Webinar on “Understanding China’s Tech Presence in Indonesia” (28 November 2022) [Event Page]
RSIS Webinar on “Transitioning to a Quantum-Secure Future” (27 October 2022) [Event Page]
RSIS Webinar on “Will Quantum Supply Chains Fall Victim to Geopolitics?” (29 September 2022) [Event Page]
CENS-FIT Webinar on “Reaching for the Stars? Contestation in Space and its Impact on ASEAN” (31 August 2022) [Closed-Door Event]
RSIS Webinar on “Inclusion in AI: Is There a Singapore Model?” (20 October 2022) [Event Page] [Event Summary]
RSIS Webinar on “Obstacles to Scaling AI: Implications for Singapore” (14 July 2022) [Event Page][Event Summary]
RSIS Webinar on “National Security’s Evolving Relationship with Science & Technology” (31 March 2022) [Event Page]
RSIS Virtual Workshop on “National Security and Emerging Technologies: Critical Issues” (2-4 March 2022) [Closed-Door Event]