Event Details
Last week, we had the immense honour of welcoming The Right Honourable Lord Philip Sales, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Yong Pung How Distinguished Visiting Professor, to deliver the Yong Pung How Distinguished Visiting Professorship Lecture 2025.
Beginning with a symposium themed “Responsible AI in Public Administration: Challenges at the Interface of Law, Governance, and Technology”, featuring insightful discussions, panels, and presentations, this year’s lecture saw Justice Andrew Phang, Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of Singapore, deliver the Opening Address as our Guest of Honour.
Lord Sales then delivered a compelling keynote lecture titled 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘓𝘢𝘸 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, which examined how advances in AI and other automated decision-making technologies have transformed government processes. He discussed their potential to improve efficiency and accessibility, the risks they pose to fundamental public law values, and the judiciary’s emerging role in addressing regulatory gaps and safeguarding good governance in the digital age.
The keynote was followed by an invigorating panel discussion featuring Mr Cyrus Hodes, General Partner at 1infinity Ventures, and Mr Yeong Zee Kin, Chief Executive of the Singapore Academy of Law and Strategic Advisor to the SMU Centre for Digital Law; moderated by Assoc Prof Jason Grant Allen, Director of the SMU Centre for Digital Law.
We are grateful to Lord Sales for reiterating the importance of ensuring that technological innovation is anchored in the rule of law and extend thanks to Honourable Justices, Ms Yong Ying-I, and distinguished guests from the Judiciary for gracing the event, which drew 200 participants.
The Yong Pung How Distinguished Visiting Professorship is made possible by a generous donation by the family of the late former Chief Justice Yong Pung How in 2023 to set up three programmes to promote legal study and research.
More information on the Yong Pung How Distinguished Visiting Professorship Lecture 2025: https://smu.sg/ww2l
