Publicis Groupe APAC has announced the launch of an AI Development Hub in Singapore, aimed at building and scaling proprietary marketing technologies for markets across Asia-Pacific and globally.
The initiative has the support of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and aligns with Singapore’s stated ambition to use AI as a strategic advantage, as outlined in the country’s Budget 2026 speech earlier this year.
“AI is reshaping the marketing industry, but real transformation only happens when technology, data and talent evolve together,” said Sapna Nemani, Chief Solutions Officer, Publicis Groupe APAC.
“The future of marketing will be built on intelligent identity, understanding audiences in deeper, privacy-safe ways and activating those insights across the entire ecosystem. Our focus is on making AI practical, secure and scalable for our teams and our clients.”
Publicis Groupe says it has spent several years investing in data and technology infrastructure to integrate AI across the marketing value chain. The company acquired global data and identity firm Lotame in 2025, which, combined with Epsilon’s data footprint, expanded the Groupe’s identity intelligence to cover close to 4 billion individuals — a figure Publicis describes as representing 90% of consumers worldwide.
The AI Development Hub is intended to build on that foundation by embedding AI into marketing and advertising infrastructure spanning data, identity, media, and content. The Hub is designed to function as a collaborative environment for engineers, strategists, creatives, and product teams to develop and scale capabilities across the region and beyond.
Singapore as an AI Innovation Launchpad
AI adoption in the Asia Pacific is outpacing the global average. According to a joint 2026 survey by the Singapore Economic Development Board and McKinsey, 73% of companies in Southeast Asia are in the “piloting” or “scaling” stage of AI, compared with 57% globally.
“There is a real sense of pride and responsibility in building this in Singapore,” said Amrita Randhawa, CEO, Publicis Groupe Singapore & Southeast Asia.
“We are not just adopting AI, we are shaping how it is used in a way that is trusted, responsible and grounded in strong fundamentals. Just as importantly, we are creating opportunities for talent here to step into new roles and build skills that will define the future of our industry.”
Publicis Groupe APAC’s AI Development Hub will contribute to Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0, supporting the country’s ambition to become a trusted global node for AI development and deployment.
The hub will include a dedicated research and development centre in Singapore, creating new roles and developing a portfolio of AI-driven solutions across creative optimisation, content development, influencer marketing and media planning. AI-enabled workflows developed by the hub are projected to reduce manual campaign execution time by 20–30% improving speed, quality, and delivery capacity across regional teams, says Publicis Groupe.
Transforming Talent for the AI Era
The AI Development Hub will help to redefine talent in the marketing industry, bringing together engineers, data scientists, product designers, marketing specialists and innovators in a collaborative development environment.
“Instead of reducing roles through automation, the programme is designed to create new future-ready capabilities with opportunities to attract, retain and develop talent within Singapore,” said a release.
The hub will also partner with Singapore’s Institutes of Higher Learning to develop a pipeline of emerging digital talent, offering internships and applied research opportunities in AI, data science, and human-centred design.
“Publicis Groupe APAC’s AI Development Hub supports Singapore’s ongoing efforts to build a vibrant hub for AI innovation and adoption,” said Junie Fo, Vice President and Head of Professional Services, Singapore Economic Development Board.
“This initiative will allow Publicis Groupe to develop advanced AI capabilities across data analytics, identity management, media optimisation, and content creation to serve both Singapore-based and global enterprises. We are excited about the next-generation marketing solutions the hub will create, alongside the pipeline of AI-ready talent it will build, strengthening Singapore’s position as a trusted base for the professional services sector.”
In featured photo: Joanne Theseira, Sapna Nemani, Kelly Khoo, Amrita Randhawa, Junie Fo, Anton Lim.
