The Personal Data Protection Summit 2025 introduced the following key initiatives:
- The expansion of the Global AI Assurance Sandbox (“Sandbox“) to support real-world testing of AI systems
- A new Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) adoption guide to help businesses implement PETs more easily
- The elevation of the Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM) to a national certification under the new Singapore Standard SS 714:2025, aligning it with global data protection benchmarks
In more detail
The first initiative, the Sandbox, builds on the earlier pilot launched at the Paris AI Action Summit. The expanded Sandbox now includes new AI archetypes such as agentic AI and addresses emerging risks like data leakage and prompt injection. Sector regulators are also welcome to test and refine their AI governance guidelines using the Sandbox. The Sandbox will inform future policy and accreditation efforts and will leverage Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Starter Kit for Safety Testing of LLM-based applications to provide structured testing methodologies.
The second initiative, the new PETs Adoption Guide, supports businesses in adopting PETs to unlock value from data while preserving privacy. The guide includes a PETs use case evaluation tool to help organisations assess suitable PETs solutions and an implementation checklist covering key considerations from initial evaluation to deployment. The guide is designed as a living document to be continuously updated with new use cases and industry feedback.
The third initiative elevates the DPTM to a national certification under the new Singapore Standard SS 714:2025. This new standard provides certified organisations with an accountability tool to demonstrate to customers and stakeholders that it has world-class data protection management practices, in particular around third-party data management and overseas transfers.
Key takeaways
The Sandbox, PETs Adoption Guide and new DPTM Singapore Standard provide organisations with practical tools and clear standards to navigate the complexities of AI governance, data protection and privacy-preserving innovation. Together, these measures should be leveraged by organisations to support their responsible and innovative deployment of AI technology and solutions.
Small and medium-sized enterprises also stand to benefit from increased access to digital trade tools and best practices, enabling them to participate more actively in international markets and scale across borders.
Overall, the ESDEA further strengthens Singapore’s position as a trusted trading hub and builds upon Singapore’s other international digital trade agreements to offer businesses and investors a favourable environment for digital trade and commerce.
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