M3S Symposiums 2025: Charting the Future of AI

In July 2025, the SMART’s Mens, Manus and Machina (M3S) interdisciplinary research group (IRG) hosted two symposiums in partnership with Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). Both symposiums brought together over 500 speakers and attendees, including government representatives, industry leaders, and academics, to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the future of work, learning, and society.

The symposiums served as a powerful platform for cross-sector collaboration, uniting researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. From workforce resilience and lifelong learning to embodied intelligence and scalable AI systems, the discussions highlighted a shared commitment to ensuring AI innovation remains human-centric, inclusive, and aligned with policy needs.

Resilient Workforce Symposium: Shaping the Future of Learning and Work in the Age of AI

Organised by M3S in partnership with SMU, the two-day symposium explored how AI is transforming education, skills development, and organisational culture.

This symposium was graced by Guest-of-Honour Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the Ministry of Education, who commended the research community’s focus on workforce resilience. He emphasised the importance of partnerships in grounding research in real-world challenges, ensuring outcomes that are practical, relevant, and policy-informed for Singapore’s evolving AI landscape.

Welcoming the speakers and guests, Prof Alan Chan, Provost of SMU, reaffirmed SMU’s commitment to staying ahead in a fast-changing technological world. He highlighted the university’s focus on developing digitally skilled, socially responsible leaders through a balanced education, lifelong learning, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

The symposium began with an opening speech by Prof Archan Misra, Vice Provost - Research, Interim Director at SMU Resilient Workforces Institute and Co-lead Principal Investigator at M3S, who introduced the ResWORK initiative, which aims to strengthen workforce resilience across three levels: individual empowerment, organisational transformation, and policy innovation.

Following this, in Prof Jinhua Zhao’s, Lead Principal Investigator at M3S, opening speech, he introduced M3S’s twofold vision. Firstly, to design AI and robotics technologies and train humans to build the skills and habits necessary for success in a robotics-heavy work environment. Secondly, to ensure that governmental, social and business institutions can adapt to create the incentives and protections necessary to drive innovation and social welfare.

M3S and SMU hosted a symposium on how AI is shaping the future of learning and work (Photo credit: SMART M3S)

Throughout the symposium, speakers discussed the paradoxes of AI in learning and leadership. In his keynote, “Empowered or Eroded? Navigating Human Learning in the Age of AI,” Prof Dragan Gasevic, Director of the Centre for Learning Analytics at Monash University, discussed how AI can both empower learners and risk undermining critical thinking if not thoughtfully applied.

The second keynote on “The Paradox of the Internet and the Elitism of AI” by Mr Gita Wirjawan, Founder and Chairman of Ancora Group and former Minister of Trade - Indonesia, highlighted the growing digital divide and the need for inclusive AI deployment. Lastly, Prof Batia Wiesenfeld, Director of the Business & Society Program; Andre J.L. Koo Professor of Management at New York University’s Stern School of Business, concluded the keynote series with “Learning with AI: Multi-Level Implications for Work, Organisations, and Innovation,” discussing how AI is influencing organisational culture, leadership, and innovation, moreover raising important questions around trust, ethics, and workforce engagement.

Subsequent sessions during the symposium covered a wide range of topics, including AI’s impact on the labour market, policy frameworks for lifelong learning, and strategies for building resilient organisations in an era of rapid digital transformation. Speakers also showcased AI-powered tools that personalise learning, deliver real-time feedback, and support adaptive upskilling, further reinforcing the importance of aligning technological advancement with inclusive education and workforce strategies.

MIT-Singapore Symposium on Embodied and Scalable AI 

Organised by M3S in partnership with IMDA, the symposium explored two critical frontiers in AI research: embodied intelligence — AI systems that interact physically and perceptually with the world — and scalable AI designed for efficient deployment in real-world environments.

Prof Archan Misra and Prof Jinhua Zhao, alongside other panellists discussing embodied AI (Photo credit: SMART M3S)

Prof Zhao opened the event by emphasising the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration that is carried out at SMART M3S, which includes MIT, SMU, NUS (National University of Singapore), and IMDA. He highlighted how embodied and scalable AI will serve as essential pillars for the future of intelligent systems – advancing not only technological capabilities but also enabling real-world applications that can adapt to human contexts, operate seamlessly at scale, and address complex societal challenges.

The keynote address by Prof Daniela Rus, Director - Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT and Co-lead Principal Investigator at M3S on the theme “The Future of Embodied AI – Systems That See, Sense, and Support,” set the tone for the day. She highlighted the technical challenges of building adaptive, context-aware robots capable of assisting humans in sectors like healthcare and manufacturing. Prof Rus also introduced innovations such as liquid neural networks for energy-efficient, on-device reasoning.

Prof Daniela Rus addressing the keynote on The Future of Embodied AI – Systems That See, Sense, and Support (Photo credit: SMART M3S)

The following sessions during the day showcased pioneering research across embodied and scalable AI. Discussions explored the development of multimodal human-AI interfaces designed to enhance collaboration through vision, speech, and touch; innovations in soft robotics that prioritise safe, flexible interaction with humans; and sustainable AI algorithms aimed at reducing energy consumption while maintaining performance. Real-world applications of AI in urban planning and aviation were also highlighted, addressing both the transformative potential and the governance challenges of deploying AI in complex environments.

The symposium concluded with a panel discussion featuring faculty from MIT and SMU, who spoke about the ethical, policy, and societal dimensions of AI. The conversation highlighted the importance of grounding technical innovation in inclusive and responsible practices. The event closed with a preview of future collaborative initiatives in embodied and scalable AI research done at SMART, between MIT and Singapore.

A Shared Vision for the Future

Across both symposiums, one theme stood out: the power of collaboration. By bringing together academia, government, and industry, M3S is shaping a future where AI is not only driving technology but also transforming society positively. The events also highlighted Singapore’s commitment to building an innovation ecosystem that is resilient, inclusive, and ready for the challenges ahead.

As AI continues to evolve at a rapid pace, SMART remains dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research and fostering dialogue that bridges science, policy, and practice, ensuring that the future of work and learning is one we shape together.