Grab launches AI Centre of Excellence to drive SEA innovation

Grab has launched its first Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI COE) in Singapore, backed by Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), as part of its push to scale AI-driven solutions across Southeast Asia (SEA).

Located in Tower B of its GrabHQ@one-north campus, the AI COE aims to address regional challenges through AI applications in accessibility, productivity and smart city infrastructure. It is expected to generate at least 50 high-value roles by 2025 across product, engineering, data science and analytics functions.

According to the company, the launch marks a strategic shift towards using AI not just to enhance convenience, but to deliver public good, powering inclusion, enabling smarter cities, and helping SEA navigate its digital future.

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One of the centre’s priorities is accessibility, with current efforts focused on building voice-enabled features tailored for visually impaired users. In collaboration with the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), Grab is piloting a voice assistant that allows users to book rides using voice commands.

Built on OpenAI’s speech-to-text models and trained with 80,000 local voice samples, the tool has improved recognition accuracy of Singaporean accents and building names from 46% to 89%, according to Grab. A voice donation feature will be rolled out in June to further refine the model, allowing users in Singapore to contribute voice samples directly through the Grab app.

Grab also plans to expand this tool to serve other underserved segments, including elderly users and those less familiar with digital platforms.

Beyond accessibility, the AI COE is developing a foundational model trained on Grab’s proprietary data to power hyper-personalised experiences for users, driver- and delivery-partners, and merchant-partners. For internal teams, the centre has introduced a Large Language Model Kit to accelerate AI testing, cutting infrastructure set-up time from one-and-a-half weeks to half a day.

Externally, Grab is rolling out AI-powered tools to boost productivity and business growth. The 'AI driver companion' provides real-time recommendations for bookings, routing and reward optimisation based on individual driving patterns. Meanwhile, the 'Merchant AI assistant' offers insights, operational support, and tailored business advice aimed at fast-tracking SME growth.

Grab is also extending its AI capabilities into Internet of Things (IoT) solutions through its KartaDongle and KartaDashcam products. These tools, originally built for mapping and fleet safety, are now being enhanced for smart nation applications such as road hazard detection, urban planning, and flood monitoring.

In Singapore, Grab has expanded its partnership with PUB, the national water agency, to integrate real-time driver reports and IoT data with PUB’s flood monitoring systems. This enables flood alerts to be pushed to drivers during heavy rainfall, while helping PUB respond faster to incidents on the ground.

"With over 1,000 AI models powering our platform, we've seen firsthand how we can leverage AI to improve lives. Recent advancements in AI hold the promise to transform how we interact with technology, foster innovation and bridge digital divides," said Suthen Thomas, chief technology officer at Grab.

He added, "Grab is uniquely positioned to turn these breakthroughs into meaningful solutions that tackle real-world challenges, by leveraging our rich data, expansive platform and passionate talent. This is what it means to be AI-first with heart, and it’s the driving force behind the launch of our AI COE." 

In tandem Philbert Gomez, executive director and head of DISG said, "The establishment of Grab's AI Centre of Excellence underscores Singapore’s vision to be the world's most AI-driven economy. From Singapore, Grab is developing sophisticated AI solutions to create tangible value for users, empower businesses, and uplift communities across Southeast Asia's 700 million people. These efforts will strengthen Grab's capabilities, and groom and attract talent that will improve Singapore's position as a leading talent and innovation hub." 

Grab is not the only brand doubling down on AI. In March this year, Heineken launched its first global generative AI (GenAI) lab in Singapore, aimed at transforming how the company drives growth, productivity and customer engagement across its global operations.

The lab will spearhead development of scalable GenAI solutions across key business areas, from automated content creation and intelligent financial reporting to next-generation customer support and autonomous problem-solving agents.

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