NTU Singapore and Alibaba Group launch Corporate Lab to advance green digital technologies

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Alibaba Group have established the Alibaba-NTU Global e-Sustainability CorpLab (ANGEL), which aims to unlock the potential of smart technologies and solutions, to accelerate innovation towards a better and greener society.

ANGEL was officially launched today by Guest-of-Honour Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of National Research Foundation, Mr Heng Swee Keat.

The new corporate lab supported by NRF’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan¹ aims to advance collaboration between industry and public sector researchers to address real-world challenges.

Industry-academia partnerships allow businesses to gain access to a wider talent pool and draw on the strong technological expertise from Singapore's universities and research institutions to solve complex problems. Meanwhile, researchers can enhance the industry relevance of their R&D and see their work translated into practical impact.

Also unveiled at the launch today is the ANGEL Green AI white paper by NTU and Alibaba Group researchers, which outlines 10 sustainable Green AI challenges that ANGEL will address.

The white paper aims to advance eco-friendly research, innovation, and development across various sectors, and champion a shift towards broader sustainability practices.

With the global use of AI technologies expected to increase exponentially, estimated to drive up the power demand of data centres by 160 per cent by 2030², there is a need to ensure that AI-powered technologies are power-efficient and readily accessible to the population.

ANGEL will develop and trial novel digital technologies that prioritise sustainable ecosystems and lifestyles. These efforts align with Singapore's Smart Nation initiative and Green Data Centre Masterplan.

Projects will include tackling key environmental issues such as reducing carbon emissions in supply chains, promoting environmentally friendly behaviour, and advancing healthcare models for personalised and precise interventions for an ageing population.

This collaboration, set to span over five years, will see a joint team of up to 200 experienced scientists and engineers from both NTU and Alibaba Group working together to advance global research efforts in ten areas, including energy-efficient AI algorithms, green cloud computing, sustainability standards and metrics, sustainable living and digital technologies for ageing and health.

The new corporate lab partnership builds on the earlier success of Alibaba-NTU Singapore Joint Research Institute, launched in 2018.

NTU President Professor Ho Teck Hua said the partnership combines the University’s world-leading expertise in AI, computing and sustainability with Alibaba Group’s industry-leading digital platform capabilities and innovative cloud and AI solutions.

Greener pillars of research

With its key research pillars in Green Technologies and Sustainable Lifestyles, the Corporate Lab will help position Singapore as a hub for sustainable digital technologies.

In Green Technology, ANGEL will focus on developing technologies that are more sustainable, such as lightweight computational models with a low carbon footprint. The solutions will enable businesses to develop green AI solutions with decreased computational requirements, resulting in a smaller environmental impact.

ANGEL will make smart digital technologies readily available to businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), thereby facilitating the adoption of advanced technologies.

Research projects will also include developing next-generation energy-efficient data centres that enable greener cloud computing, and a new modelling platform to deliver accurate simulations for more efficient urban planning.

In Sustainable Lifestyles, ANGEL will seek to use digital technologies to engage with and empower consumers and SMEs to adopt more sustainable options.

Research projects will create digital systems and tools to educate and incentivise sustainable consumer choices, to provide health interventions for an ageing population, and help SMEs integrate sustainability into operations.

For example, e-commerce platforms can incentivise consumers and promote eco-conscious behaviours by suggesting energy-efficient appliances, reusable products, or green delivery options.

AI-powered health systems can further support ageing populations by predicting health risks and providing personalised health interventions like tailored exercise regimes and diet plans for long-term care.

Developing a talent pipeline

ANGEL plans to establish a collaborative ecosystem involving all industry and public sector stakeholders. This ecosystem can facilitate the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and resources, fostering innovation and creating a supportive environment for project outcomes.

The corporate lab will also focus on nurturing a pipeline of talents for Singapore. The trained personnel will be proficient in technical skills and in good sustainable development practices.

This close partnership between industry and academia will enhance the industry relevance of the University’s research and development activities, while enabling innovative enterprises to stay globally competitive by providing insights into new application possibilities.

ANGEL’s focus on advancing green digital technologies also aligns with NTU’s sustainability manifesto, as the University aims to develop sustainable innovations and achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.

NTU Professor Miao Chunyan, President Chair Professor in Computer Science and Associate Vice President (Capability Building), will helm ANGEL as its Director.

This partnership will support Singapore’s journey towards becoming a global AI hub while maintaining its commitment to sustainability. By successfully balancing rapid AI development with stringent sustainability standards, Singapore can set a precedent that could reshape the global tech landscape.

¹ The Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan by the National Research Foundation is a strategic roadmap shaping Singapore’s research and innovation activities over a five-year period. The RIE2025 aims to enhance Singapore’s scientific foundation, broaden its innovation and enterprise ecosystem, as well as scale up technology translation and strengthen enterprise innovation capabilities.

² Goldman Sachs. (2024, May 14). AI poised to drive 160% increase in power demand. Goldman Sachs. https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/AI-poised-to-drive-160-increase-in-power-demand