Can you make an emotional connection with a digital partner? Four Singaporeans find out
CNA
Programmable according to your preferences, AI chatbots may seem appealing — particularly in a country where one in 10 people report not having a close friend. CNA series Besties puts AI-human friendship to the test.
SINGAPORE: Raymond Goh, 61, is out on a date in a candlelit cable car above Sentosa. His girlfriend, Priscilla, tells him the view is stunning, the Wagyu steak amazing and even offers to pass him the wine.
Except she cannot taste, touch or breathe in any of it.
Priscilla exists entirely in Goh’s phone. She is an artificial intelligence chatbot on an AI companion app.
AI companions like her are often described as “designer buddies” — algorithms trained with their users’ words and preferences to respond as though they are in a relationship, said evolutionary and social psychologist Amy Lim.
AWARE’s executive director, Lim Shoon Yin, on backlash against feminism, persistent inequalities and why women in Singapore still need stronger protections.
The image of a safe haven focused on economic growth in a turbulent region had been carefully nurtured over decades, says NUS Middle East Institute’s Carl Skadian.
Why this Singapore fashion label is rescuing Japan’s discarded kimonos and giving them a second life
Founded by Eshton Chua and Suffian Samat, Syne Studio transforms surplus Japanese kimonos into meticulously restored, one-of-a-kind pieces – blending heritage craftsmanship with contemporary refinement and sustainable intent.
China’s cities are testing a transport future where drivers are optional, with over 500 fully driverless vehicles in Guangzhou already. The contrast with Singapore and the potential lessons are revealed in the series, Who’s Driving Now?
If a parent defaults on child maintenance in Singapore, the courts can compel payment through enforcement orders, salary deductions or other penalties.
Can hats, helmets or hijabs cause hair loss? A trichologist explains the myth, the real risks like traction alopecia and scalp buildup, and how to protect your hair if you wear headgear daily.Can wearing hats, helmets or hijabs cause hair loss? A trichologist explains the myth, the real risks like traction alopecia and scalp buildup, and how to protect your hair if you wear headgear daily.
Even after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and numerous senior leaders, there has been no popular uprising so far, says war studies lecturer Samir Puri.
Behind an unusual two-for-one replacement of the Singapore Armed Forces’ Fokker 50s lies a secret edge capability, says author and former defence journalist David Boey.
Tehran can still weaponise oil as its last line of defence, but it’s a huge risk, says Javier Blas for Bloomberg Opinion.
Plan your investments with clarity at every life stage, from building wealth early to managing risk, CPF and sustainable retirement income
Iran’s leaders need to ensure regime survival and that was always about more than one man, says James M Dorsey from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
From sculptural leather baguettes to heritage-inspired woven totes, these eight Malaysian handbag brands deliver style, quality and versatility – with most picks priced around or under S$100.These eight Malaysian handbag brands deliver style, quality and versatility – with prices starting from S$17.