Publicis Groupe anchors Singapore AI hub to power regional marketing shift

Singapore – Publicis Groupe has opened an AI Development Hub in Singapore, betting the city-state can serve as a launchpad for marketing technology across Asia Pacific and beyond.

Backed by the Singapore Economic Development Board, the hub will build proprietary tools spanning data, identity, media, and content—areas increasingly seen as the plumbing of modern advertising rather than its gloss.

The French group has spent years laying the groundwork. Its 2025 acquisition of Lotame, combined with Epsilon’s assets, expanded its identity graph to nearly 4 billion individuals—roughly 90% of global consumers. 

The new hub is meant to turn that data heft into working systems. 

Engineers, creatives, strategists, and product teams will sit side by side, building tools that can be deployed across markets where consumer behaviour shifts as quickly as mobile data speeds.

The move comes as AI adoption across Southeast Asia gathers pace. A 2026 survey by the Singapore Economic Development Board and McKinsey & Company found 73% of companies in the region are already piloting or scaling AI, compared with 57% globally. 

Publicis says the hub’s tools could cut manual campaign work by 20–30%. 

Beyond efficiency, the bet is also on talent. The hub will create roles across engineering, data science, and design, while working with local universities to build a pipeline of AI-trained graduates. 

“AI is reshaping the marketing industry, but real transformation only happens when technology, data and talent evolve together,” said Sapna Nemani, Chief Solutions Officer at 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.”

Amrita Randhawa, CEO of Publicis Groupe Singapore and Southeast Asia, struck a similar note. 

“There is a real sense of pride and responsibility in building this in Singapore. 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,” she said.

Junie Fo, Vice President and Head of Professional Services at the Singapore Economic Development Board, pointed to the broader play. 

“Publicis Groupe APAC’s AI Development Hub supports Singapore’s ongoin efforts to build a vibrant hub for AI innovation and adoption. 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,” she said.