Source: Singapore Law Watch

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated that Singapore’s legal frameworks were not designed for consequential decisions made by machines, prompting a need to reconsider assumptions about responsibility, liability, and accountability. Speaking at the SGLaw200 Youth Forum at Singapore Management University, he observed that artificial intelligence is advancing more rapidly than legal systems worldwide can adapt, leading to risks such as sophisticated scams, reputation-damaging deepfakes, and fast-moving misinformation campaigns. He raised the question of who should be held accountable when AI causes harm, emphasizing the necessity of striking a balance in legal reform to avoid delaying protections or stifling innovation. He insisted that responsibility, fairness, and justice remain human decisions and cannot be delegated entirely to algorithms.

PM Wong described Singapore’s rule of law as balancing decisive government powers with strong institutions including an independent judiciary, impartial civil service, and fair elections. He highlighted Singapore’s strict anti-corruption enforcement, the legal presumption that possession of drugs implies knowledge of them, and safeguards in capital cases such as automatic appeal reviews and state-appointed defense lawyers. He also noted the establishment of the Public Defender’s Office in 2022 to provide criminal defense aid to vulnerable individuals facing non-capital charges. Throughout, he stressed pragmatism and public trust as essential principles underpinning Singapore’s evolving legal system.