NCS unveils AI & digital resilience solutions at Impact forum

Technology services firm NCS has introduced a suite of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital resilience (DR) solutions aimed at assisting organisations in adapting to the AI era.

This development offers frameworks, solutions, and accelerators that facilitate secure, scalable AI utilisation for sustainable innovation across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

The launch was announced at the annual Impact forum, attended by over 1,000 technology leaders and practitioners from entities such as Intel, SATS, AWS, and Temasek Foundation. The event featured Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Heng Swee Keat.

NCS CEO Ng Kuo Pin addressed the audience, outlining the company's plans leveraging AI for transformative purposes. He emphasised two key success factors critical for organisations: AI adoption and digital resilience. Ng Kuo Pin stated, "Across the world, AI is top of mind now, but organisations must not overlook the importance of digital resilience as they embrace AI's transformational potential. To build a safer and more sustainable future, it is crucial that organisations invest to build a foundation in cybersecurity, data governance, and technology that will allow AI to flourish."

The newly introduced AI-Digital Resilience (AI+DR) Matrix categorises organisations based on their maturity levels in AI adoption and digital resilience. The matrix helps organisations develop strategic roadmaps that balance AI and digital resilience development. Ng Kuo Pin reflected, "AI will be a game-changer, and companies must learn the new game – the earlier, the better. Given the speed at which AI evolves and the implications for businesses, working with the right technology partners to navigate the AI landscape is fundamental."

NCS also launched Polaris DR, a solution designed to assess digital resilience in areas such as cybersecurity, data governance, infrastructure scalability, application robustness, and operational responsiveness. This initiative aims to lay a robust foundation for enterprise-wide growth through a customised improvement plan.

Furthering their initiatives, NCS introduced five Industry Business Solutions (IBS) embedded with NCS AI Accelerators. These solutions aim to expedite AI deployment in areas like customer/citizen experience, workforce productivity, and software engineering.

Additionally, NCS formed strategic partnerships with several industry leaders. Collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS), NCS aims to establish its first Generative AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Public Good, leveraging AWS's Generative AI Innovation Centre. Elsie Tan, Country Manager, Worldwide Public Sector, Singapore, AWS, commented, "We're excited to collaborate with NCS to establish its inaugural CoE for Public Good that will accelerate the delivery of innovative citizen services."

NCS also announced a partnership with Dell Technologies, leveraging the Dell AI Factory to accelerate Generative AI solutions adoption. Another notable collaboration is with Schneider Electric to address higher density computing demands and emissions compliance through sustainable and energy-efficient systems. Yoon Young Kim, Cluster President, Singapore and Brunei, Schneider Electric, remarked, "Our partnership with NCS represents a critical step towards setting a new standard in sustainability for data centres."

Moreover, NCS teamed up with Income Insurance to provide location-based, hourly travel insurance through the Breeze mobile app, enhancing insurance offerings using real-time data. Peter Tay, Chief Digital Officer, Income Insurance, said, "We are constantly looking to work with like-minded partners in closing protection gaps."

To support its initiatives, NCS is developing a pipeline of AI talent. The company aims to create a 3,000-strong AI-certified practitioner base, including over 300 AI experts.

NCS is partnering with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to upskill its workforce through the TechSkills Accelerator initiative. Kiren Kumar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, IMDA, stated, "IMDA is committed to working with companies to build a strong AI talent ecosystem in Singapore."