WHAT'S BUZZING
Majority of Singaporeans worry deepfakes will influence next election
More than four-fifths (83%) of consumers in Singapore are concerned about the potential for AI and deepfakes to influence upcoming elections in their country, according to the 2024 Online Identity Study by identity verification provider Jumio.
Respondents feel that deepfakes undermine trust in politicians and media, with 76% reporting increased scepticism in the content they see online compared to the last election.
Yet, 66% of consumers in Singapore say they trust political news they see online, despite the possibility of encountering audio, video and image deepfakes. This is higher than the global average of 43%.
The study reveals that Singapore consumers are most confident in their ability to easily spot a deepfake of a political figure or celebrity — at 60% compared to just 33% in the UK, 37% in the US and 51% in Mexico.
See also: Younger consumers in Singapore more receptive towards AI agents
“With half of the global population participating in elections this year, the potential influence and impact of generative AI and deepfakes demand our immediate attention. Public faith in online information is crumbling, demanding a transparent discourse to confront this challenge and empower citizens with the tools to discern and report deepfakes. Online platforms hold a critical duty to leverage cutting-edge detection measures like multimodal, biometric-based verification systems to fortify our defences against deepfakes influencing pivotal elections,” says Jumio CEO Robert Prigge.
AI to transform customer support agent roles
Zendesk’s Future of AI-powered CX report reveals that 70% of industry leaders in Singapore believe all customer channels will be powered by artificial intelligence (AI) in three years. They expect AI to support human agents by providing real-time diagnostic assistance and recommendations.
See also: Nearly four in five Apac retailers will increase their tech investment in 2025
As such, 86% of industry leaders in Singapore say customer support agent roles will evolve to cross-functional roles for more holistic service. Three-quarters believe they will only handle complex escalations that involve in-depth troubleshooting. Proficiency with AI tools, advanced problem-solving, and continuous learning will, therefore, be crucial for agents. This change will help them provide superior customer experiences, boosting their productivity and the quality of their service.
“Customer experience [CX] leaders across Asia Pacific are feeling the pressure to adopt AI into their CX organisation, with over 90% saying the pace of change is overwhelming. With only a quarter of leaders in the region describing their AI adoption as advanced, industry leaders are recognising the gaps and taking steps to strengthen their CX,” says Maureen Chong, regional vice president for Asia at Zendesk.
She adds: “Key areas they are addressing include enhancing data security, investing in new CX technologies, expanding AI and automation in service delivery, integrating generative AI and optimising self-service support. Done right this won’t just help businesses weather ongoing economic uncertainties — it will, in fact, give them a competitive edge.”
DIGITAL LIFE
Beyond a sporting event, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is a showcase of how technology can provide an enhanced viewing experience for global events. For instance, the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) is leveraging Alibaba Cloud for the OBS Cloud 3.0, which will serve as the backbone infrastructure supporting several critical functions including:
OBS Live Cloud, which is the main method of remote distribution to media rights-holders (MRHs). Content transmission via the cloud has outperformed other methods of distribution (such as optical circuits and satellite transmission) in terms of low latency, high resilience, scalability, flexibility and cost of broadcasting a large global event.
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Content+, OBS’s content delivery platform. New functionalities in Content+ allow MRHs to create their own highlights from any location in the world in a much shorter turnaround time. Content can be downloaded in three different resolutions facilitating usage including linear, digital and/or social.
Content+ will also deliver content in ultra high-definition for the first time through Alibaba Cloud’s robust global infrastructure. This empowers broadcasters to produce even more engaging and refined content, with new features like vertical screen compatibility for optimal viewing on mobiles or other devices.
OBS Multi-Camera Replay Systems, which will provide frame-freeze slow-motion replays of athletes’ performances. This enables hardcore sports fans to access detailed information for deeper analysis of the athlete’s movements while allowing new viewers to better understand the Games at key moments.
All the multi-camera replay systems used at Paris 2024 will be provided by Alibaba Cloud. These include 17 systems across 14 venues covering 21 sports and disciplines, including rugby sevens, badminton, athletics track and field, basketball, beach volleyball, table tennis, wrestling, tennis, judo, breaking, BMX freestyle, and skateboarding.
The footage will be sent to the cloud, where Alibaba Cloud’s AI-driven computing capabilities enable live spatial reconstruction and real-time 3D rendering, before the chosen moments are shared as a replay through live or non-live feeds. The seamless reconstruction of the most exciting moments only takes seconds to get ready in the cloud and integrated as part of the live coverage.
