Singapore Red Cross (SRC) held its inaugural Tech Fest, bringing colleagues together to explore how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), can strengthen its operations and support its humanitarian mission.
In his opening remarks, SRC’s Secretary General/CEO, Benjamin William, highlighted the role of technology as an enabler, augmenting our capabilities rather than replacing the human judgement and expertise that underpin our work.
This was followed by a keynote address, Critical Thinking in the Age of AI: Innovation with Intent, by SRC Council Member and IT Advisory Panel Chairman (ITAP) Dave Gurbani. The session explored the importance of critical thinking in navigating the opportunities and challenges of AI adoption.
The morning session also featured an introduction to SRC’s AI governance policies and three-year technology roadmap, outlining the organisation’s approach to adopting emerging technologies responsibly. Colleagues also had the opportunity to learn about in-house developed applications and see a demonstration of our new Approval Management System.
A management fireside chat with members of ITAP further explored the role of leadership in responsible AI adoption. The discussion examined the risks of “shadow AI”, balancing productivity gains with organisational safeguards, and building a culture that encourages responsible experimentation.
SRC extends its appreciation to ITAP members for their continued guidance and contributions in supporting the organisation’s technology development and direction.
In the afternoon, colleagues explored practical applications of AI through an AI data analytics innovation showcase presented by SRC’s Global Engagement team and Dataiku. This was followed by Google and Gemini training facilitated by Overpowered, providing colleagues with opportunities to deepen their understanding of emerging AI tools.
As AI continues to reshape how organisations operate, adopting new technologies is only part of the equation. Through strengthening its technological capabilities and promoting responsible AI practices, SRC aims to harness innovation to enhance its operations while keeping human judgement and its humanitarian mission at the heart of its work.
