BHP opens industry’s first AI hub in Singapore for digital transformation

Global mining company BHP has announced the opening of its first artificial intelligence (AI) center in Singapore. The initiative aims to accelerate digital transformation and innovation in the resources and mining sector.

As stated in the company’s official statement, the new AI hub will focus on solving BHP’s corporate-wide challenges using artificial intelligence tools to improve safety and productivity.

The hub will be launched in June, and a team of AI specialists will integrate data, analytics, and automation into the company’s key operations. Enterprise Singapore and the AI Singapore Program (AISG) are involved in the project. Singapore’s favorable innovation environment, strong digital infrastructure, and strategic alignment with BHP’s plans were decisive in choosing the location.

The hub will employ experts who will work with local partners to find practical solutions to business problems, including procurement, forecasting and optimization of production processes.

New projects and partnerships are expected to be launched in the future to help unlock the full potential of AI in the mining industry.

As a reminder, BHP and Rio Tinto will build a pilot green pig iron plant in Australia. The project, called NeoSmelt, promises to be the largest pilot plant in Australia using an electric smelter (ESF) and DRI (direct reduction of iron) technology.