Sea Opens AI Center in Singapore, Creates 100 Tech Jobs

Singapore just landed a major boost in the global race for artificial intelligence talent and innovation.

Tech company Sea announced it's establishing an AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore, bringing at least 100 new jobs in AI research, engineering, and product development to the city-state over the next three years. These aren't just any jobs. They're innovation-focused roles that will put Singaporeans at the forefront of developing AI products with global reach.

The center will tackle both groundbreaking research and practical business applications. Scientists and engineers will work on advancing foundation models, the powerful AI systems that underpin everything from chatbots to business tools, while also figuring out how to scale these innovations for millions of users.

Sea's already putting its AI ambitions into action. The company developed Compass Max v3.5, a massive 245-billion-parameter language model specifically designed for Southeast Asian languages and e-commerce. The model currently powers features across Shopee, Sea's e-commerce platform, running faster and cheaper than many leading commercial alternatives.

CEO Forrest Li sees AI as core to how Sea builds products and creates value at a global scale. But he's also thinking bigger, noting that homegrown AI capabilities strengthen Singapore's entire technology ecosystem.

The Ripple Effect

This investment does more than add jobs to one company's payroll. It's strengthening Singapore's standing as a global AI hub, attracting more talent and investment to the region.

The center launched with backing from Digital Industry Singapore, a joint government initiative supporting the tech sector. Government officials are betting that centers like this will create pathways for Singaporeans to work on world-changing AI technology without leaving home.

For the 100-plus people who'll land these roles, it means building AI systems that millions across Southeast Asia will use daily. They'll experiment with new ways of working enabled by AI and help train the next generation of AI-native talent in the region.

The center also positions Singapore as a serious player in the AI arms race, showing that innovation hubs can thrive outside Silicon Valley. When global tech companies choose to build their most advanced capabilities in Singapore, it validates the country's investments in education, infrastructure, and research.

Sea's commitment proves that Asia isn't just consuming AI technology but creating it at the highest levels.