is shifting its focus toward a greater recognition of different • The IM Silver program provides online learning resources for aptitudes and talents (gov.sg, 2020). seniors seeking to learn IT (Smart Nation Singapore website, 2020). This program’s goal is to include the elderly in In addition, higher education will provide more work-relevant meaningful societal projects, allowing them to be connected training through real-world experiences (gov.sg, 2020). The with the digital society; objective here is to give more flexibility to students to help them • The People’s Association Senior Academy (PASA) is helping to develop their strengths. In this vein, the implementation of people aged fifty and over to update their resume and rejoin Full Subject Based Banding by 2014 would ensure that students the job market, and it also offers them IT-related courses would be able to customize their education (gov.sg, 2020). Indeed, (Smart Nation Singapore website, 2020). students will be able to take their preferred subject but know that it will be more demanding. Other programs such as the SkillsFuture 4.4 Business-led job creation Work-Study programs offer a practice-oriented learning approach—a kind of on-the-job experience in which students apply The SG:D Digital Economy Framework for Action (SG:D, 2018) knowledge to concrete cases (gov.sg, 2020). The programs set out states that “the Government continues to demonstrate its pathways so that students can follow their primary interests and strong commitment to drive the growth of the digital economy acquire skills related to their future careers. with the recommendations of the Committee on the Future Economy in 2017. The S$4.5 billion Industry Transformation An article published on Tech Wire Asia (TWA) in 2018 states that Programme will support sectors to transform, and achieve their “two new initiatives led by AI Singapore (AISG) will target 12,000 digitalisation potential, guided by the Industry Transformation industry professionals and young students to build up local Maps for the 23 economic sectors” (SG:D, Digital Economy skillsets in AI” (TWA, 2018). This shows that the Smart Nation Framework for Action, 2018: 13). programs in Singapore heavily rely on technology devices and, primarily, on a population that accepts and understands them. Based on this statement, we understand the Singapore Smart Singapore’s current focus is the implementation of AI at scale, Nation program essentially focuses on promoting technology as a key weapon for Singapore to become a fully efficient Smart the primary source of growth. Indeed, in Singapore, technology Nation. The government has determined that Singapore’s has helped SMEs to flourish, and individuals feel empowered by population needs to understand AI, and it knows that this can becoming content creators and service providers (SG:D, 2018). be achieved through training and education. Therefore, projects like AI for Everyone, which involves ten thousand pupils and SMEs make up for 99 percent of all companies in Singapore, working adults, have been implemented (TWA, 2018). And by employing 70 percent of the workforce (SG:D, 2018). educating its population in new technological developments, Digitalization aims to improve and expand their capacity, the government seeks to help career advancements. creating more space for job creation. Indeed, the value of digitalization is amazing: “Microsoft estimates that the 4.3 Lifelong opportunities digital economy will contribute an additional US$10 billion to Singapore’s GDP by 2021” (SG:D, 2018). The government will Singapore is always adopting cutting-edge technologies to invest up to 145 million Singapore dollars over the next three make new job categories and business opportunities emerge years in developing the workforce’s tech capabilities. (Robert Kamei, 2017). The government is aware that upgrading skills and ensuring access to lifelong learning opportunities will 4.5 Welcoming of minorities help to sustain and further the Smart Nation’s development. In 2018, around 1.1 million foreigners lived and worked in Therefore, on the Smart Nation Singapore online platform, Singapore, representing almost a third of the overall workforce many programs have been created to ensure citizens have (Michael Page, 2018). Furthermore, the presence of seven access to lifelong opportunities: thousand multinational companies has help to reinforce the •Home Access is a program that aims to close “the digital diversity within Singapore (Michael Page, 2018). Within the divide by providing affordable broadband bundle packages city, the inclusion of minorities mostly takes the form of digital to low-income households” (Smart Nation Singaporeinclusion delivered via various applications and platforms that website, 2020). This program will provide households with help Singaporeans to access government services and connect the equivalent of two years of subsidies, with the possibility with the digital society. for them to receive a smart tablet; 155 Quélin and Smadja | HEC PARIS | SMART CITIES | The sustainable program of six leading cities | 2021