AI 'no longer optional': GIC, Anthropic woo tech leaders at first Singapore event after recent funding

SINGAPORE: Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC and United States technology startup Anthropic co-hosted their first event in Singapore on Thursday (Apr 23), following GIC's recent investments in the frontier AI firm behind Claude.

The closed-door event brought together about 150 senior leaders from Singapore's technology and investment communities in a sharing that featured live demonstrations of Anthropic's AI tools.

Attendees included venture capitalists from across Asia, Singapore-based technology executives and representatives from Singapore government agencies.

Speaking at the Anthropic x GIC Asia Pacific Innovation Day event at the state investor's office in Capital Tower, Mr Dominic Soon, senior vice president of private equity at GIC, said AI is "no longer optional for anyone".

"It's foundational. Through our own portfolio companies and our own experience, we know that organisations, both large and small, can benefit immensely from AI if it is implemented responsibly, safely and thoughtfully. And in this area, Anthropic has been a leader and an innovator," he said.

He noted that Singapore had the largest users of Claude per capita, with people using five and a half times more of Anthropic's platform than expected for a country of its size.

For companies that want to make the most of Claude, there is "ample talent" in Singapore, he said, adding that Singapore is well-positioned to be a global AI hub.

GIC first invested in Anthropic in September 2025 in its US$13 billion (S$16.6 billion) Series F fundraising.

In February, GIC led the US$30 billion Series G in Anthropic alongside Coatue Management, a major US investment firm, bringing Anthropic's valuation to US$380 billion.

The state investor has kept mum about its total investment so far, though the Financial Times said in January that GIC would invest US$1.5 billion in the AI firm in its Series G funding.

"The investment will fuel the frontier research, product development, and infrastructure expansions that have made Anthropic the market leader in enterprise AI," GIC said in a news release in February.

GIC added on Thursday that it plays a "unique role" in the tech ecosystem, serving as a bridge between tech companies and businesses, institutions and policymakers in Singapore and across Asia.

"Our partnership with Anthropic exemplifies how we work with innovative companies to create lasting value and impact," the company said.

In their sharing, executives from Anthropic - product head Angela Jiang, engineering head Katelyn Lesse and technical staff member Carly Ryan - highlighted how startups can adopt Anthropic's AI models more effectively to scale faster and operate smarter.

The sharing also focused on practical frameworks and tools that companies can use to harness AI, such as by incorporating it in their company culture, workflows and product development.