Singapore – Singapore has launched the world’s first comprehensive governance framework for the responsible deployment of agentic AI, marking a major step in shaping how autonomous AI systems are developed and used globally.
The new Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI was announced by minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Developed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, the framework builds on Singapore’s original Model AI Governance Framework introduced in 2020 and provides organisations with practical guidance on deploying AI agents safely and reliably.
It outlines both technical and non-technical measures to mitigate risks, while reinforcing that humans remain ultimately accountable for decisions made by AI systems.
Unlike traditional or generative AI, agentic AI systems are capable of reasoning and taking actions on behalf of users, such as updating databases or executing payments.
While this enables greater automation and productivity gains, it also introduces new risks, including unauthorised actions, errors, and reduced human oversight driven by automation bias.
The framework offers a structured approach to managing these risks, guiding organisations on selecting appropriate use cases, limiting agent autonomy and access to data, defining checkpoints for human approval, implementing controls throughout the AI lifecycle, and strengthening transparency and user responsibility.
It is intended for organisations developing agentic AI in-house as well as those deploying third-party solutions.
“As the first authoritative resource addressing the specific risks of agentic AI, the MGF fills a critical gap in policy guidance for agentic AI. The framework establishes critical foundations for AI agent assurance. For example, it helps organisations define agent boundaries, identify risks, and implement mitigations such as agentic guardrails,” said April Chin, co-chief executive officer of Resaro.
The framework was developed with input from government agencies and private sector organisations and will continue to evolve as a living document.
IMDA has invited feedback and case studies and is also developing additional guidelines for testing agentic AI applications, building on its existing safety and reliability testing tools.
The launch underscores Singapore’s broader efforts to build a trusted global AI ecosystem, including collaboration through its AI Safety Institute, leadership of the ASEAN Working Group on AI Governance, and initiatives such as AI Verify and testing toolkits for large language model applications.
