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An innovative start up in China has deployed over 40 boats in the rivers of China in a bid to stop pollution at the source and to stop anymore waste from reaching the ocean.
Founded in 2017, ORCA-TECH uses urban and coastal waters as scenarios, supported by many scenario iterations and ultra-long surface driving data, to create a series of surface environmental service robots.
The company has extended its product functions and applications and has now formed three major businesses that focus on water surface cleaning, as well as water security and water data.
There are many ocean clean up projects going on in the world, but ORCA-TECH’s vision is to clean up the rivers and waterways at the source so that it never gets as far as the ocean, and so that the ocean will not be further polluted.
High Efficiency Robot for City Waterworks
The concept was first brought to life as a university project, designing a robot to be able to identify garbage autonomously, and that it could identify densely polluted water areas and differentiate types of rubbish without human supervision.
ORCA-TECH combines robotics and AI to launch robots that can automatically clean the water surface.
The boat can be controlled using remote control or the boat can also be used as a self-driving robot. It can identify what areas of the river are most polluted and how to collect waste most efficiently.
The boat also uses cameras and sensors. It can check the water environment and can be used to measure the distance between the boat and the rubbish to be collected.
Added features on the boat can monitor water quality or act as security on the waterways.
The boat is also using Machine Learning through the enormous amount of data and images it collects, to better identify the different types of garbage it collects.
The boat also separates the garbage by garbage type on board the boat, rubbish is dived into separate bins by material type.
Technology in the fight against river pollution worldwide
The next phase of their plan is to increase their presence in mainland China, focusing on increasing the client base and growing their fleet of boats. They are looking to place 100 boats in the rivers of China in the next coming year. With more investment they aim to upgrade the technology used on the boats in the future.
ORCA-TECH are mainly working with private sector companies in the environment and water treatment sectors, but they are aiming to garner interest internationally.
To date, they have mass produced the robots and successfully promoted them to more than 30 cities in China, Spain and UK.
They have partnered with international manufacturer IKEA for a campaign which saw them launch 3 branded boats on the Thames in London to help clean out the capital city’s river. They also supplied a boat for a major exhibition in Barcelona in Spain.
The ‘Data Brain of the Water’
It is believed that the robot is six times more efficient than manual cleaning with 50% less cost.
It was selected as the best intelligent sanitation equipment in China in 2019.
The company collects information from various waterways to build ‘the data brain’ of the water environment through their robots.
In the future, they aim to upgrade the robots’ self-driving algorithm and launch water transportation, water logistics and other services, and make the water environment a major part of the smart city.


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The prospective economic, social, and technological benefits of transforming Singapore into an open and trustworthy global artificial intelligence (AI) hub are substantial. It can place the nation at the vanguard of AI innovation and enable it to shape the future of this transformative technology.
The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) and a major technology firm announced their intention to work together to strengthen Singapore’s AI national vision and strategy. This strategic partnership may support the adoption and development of innovative, responsible, and inclusive AI technologies to maximise opportunities arising in Singapore and the region.
Director of the Digital Economy Office at MCI, Andrea Phua, stated that they welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the tech giant as they develop their plans to support the growth of the digital economy and realise the benefits that AI brings to individuals and businesses in a safe and responsible manner.
Singapore’s technology ecosystem has access to next-generation AI infrastructure, industry-leading GPU hardware, the Vertex AI platform, and AI-managed services and tools to implement AI at scale.
The partnership will seek to::
- Accelerate the development of home-grown AI technologies: A marketplace for developers and businesses to access the best of AI solutions and foundation models, allowing them to build conversational AI, enterprise search, and other capabilities;
- Build a sustainable pipeline of talent for the future AI economy: Skill-building initiatives to strengthen AI capabilities and competencies, including possible assistance for eligible startups to leverage an open AI ecosystem;
- Supercharge the adoption of cloud AI technologies in Singapore: Development of incubators and accelerators that encourage developers, entrepreneurs, and companies to innovate with generative AI (Gen AI) technologies; and
- Root Singapore’s AI progress in Responsible AI: Possible collaboration in AI governance and Responsible AI principles implementation.
By becoming a global AI centre, Singapore can attract world-class talent, researchers, and businesses. This promotes collaboration and the exchange of knowledge, resulting in innovation and the creation of cutting-edge AI technologies.
Several industries, including healthcare, finance, transportation, and manufacturing, will be transformed by AI. By positioning itself as a global AI hub, Singapore can attract investments, foster local startups, and generate high-paying employment, thereby fostering economic growth and prosperity.
Singapore has the potential to become a centre for AI education and talent development. By providing high-quality training programmes, seminars, and research opportunities, the nation can produce a workforce with AI expertise. This can satisfy the increasing demand for AI professionals and alleviate the talent shortage in this field.
Singapore, as a global AI centre, can serve as a testing ground for AI-based solutions and applications. The nation’s well-developed infrastructure, supportive regulatory environment, and diverse population make it an ideal location for the deployment and development of AI technologies. This enables businesses to validate their products, gain real-world insights, and iterate their solutions.
Through initiatives such as the Model AI Governance Framework, Singapore has demonstrated a commitment to ethics and trust in AI. Singapore can influence and define international standards for responsible AI development and deployment if it continues to develop as a global AI hub. This contributes to the development of AI technologies that respect privacy, impartiality, and transparency.
Singapore, as an open and trusted global AI centre, has the potential to become a regional leader in AI. This can entice regional enterprises and organisations to cooperate with Singaporean partners, resulting in a thriving Southeast Asian AI ecosystem. Singapore’s AI leadership may also assist drive regional initiatives, boost information sharing, and improve the region’s overall capabilities.
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To accomplish modernisation in the Chinese style, the 20th National Congress of China emphasised the significance of developing new growth engines and establishing a digital industrial cluster. Cloud computing has emerged as an essential technical foundation for the digital economy, fostering innovation and reshaping the global competitive landscape.
As a prominent authority in domestic cloud computing, Trusted Cloud has played a crucial role in the development of China’s cloud computing industry. The 2023 Trusted Cloud Best Practice Collection Activity was launched by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) and the Cloud Computing Open-Source Industry Alliance to further promote technological innovation and improve industry service levels.
The Trusted Cloud Best Practice Collection Activity invites service providers and user companies who have undergone or are undertaking the Trusted Cloud evaluation to participate. Up to four options can be submitted by companies in various categories, divided into technology best practices, industry service best practices, and user case best practices. This all-encompassing strategy promotes innovation, knowledge exchange, and collaboration in the cloud computing industry.
The activity’s technology best practices are geared toward improving cloud services offered by service providers. It includes six categories: fundamental services, cloud-native solutions, hybrid and private clouds, software engineering, cloud management and optimisation, and security.
By emphasising best practices in these areas, Trusted Cloud intends to foster continuous improvement and provide cloud computing solutions that are dependable and secure.
Trusted Cloud also puts best practices for industry services at the top of its list. It focuses on cloud service providers in areas like government affairs, banking, transportation, energy, industry, automobiles, new retail, agriculture, entertainment, and education.
By making solutions fit the needs of certain industries, Trusted Cloud makes it possible for service providers to offer efficient cloud services that meet the specific needs of each field.
The user case best practice area shows how cloud computing has been used successfully in the past. For a cloud computing service or product to qualify, at least one of them must pass the Trusted Cloud Evaluation.
This requirement makes sure that the use cases that are shown off meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, security, and speed. This encourages others to use cloud computing technologies in the same way.
The applicant units are responsible for making sure that their application materials are real and correct. If they give false information, they will be disqualified and face other penalties. The application materials should be filled out exactly as the sponsor’s template says to, with no mistakes or gaps. Writing the materials in an official and standard way makes them clearer and more professional.
The Trusted Cloud Best Practice Collection Activity is a place for China to try new things with cloud computing. It helps Chinese-style modernisation move forward by encouraging people to work together, spreading best practices, and showing successful use cases.
The CAICT and the Cloud Computing Open-Source Industry Alliance have the final say on how this activity should be interpreted. This highlights the importance of the Trusted Cloud as a driving force in shaping the future of the cloud computing industry.
Innovation in cloud computing is essential for Chinese-style modernisation. It drives digital transformation, boosts economic growth, increases global competitiveness, facilitates technological advancements, improves government services, bolsters resilience and security, supports sustainable development, and fosters collaboration.
China can unleash the full potential of the digital age and create a prosperous, inclusive, and technologically advanced society by prioritising cloud computing innovation.
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Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry launched the Jobs Transformation Map (JTM) for Retail as a guiding resource to help retail companies plan and ensure that their workforce is equipped with the necessary skill sets to meet evolving business needs.
Following the release of the Retail Industry Transformation Map (ITM) 2025 in October last year, Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) collaborated with the Ministry of Manpower to create the JTM, which was supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).
Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), in collaboration with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), has been designated as a programme partner for the Jobs Skills Integrator for Retail (JSIT-R).
The JSIT-R is a dedicated intermediary that offers retailers end-to-end solutions for workforce transformation, staff training, and job matching services. When engaging with retailers, the JSIT-R will consult the JTM.
Retail trade associations and chambers (TACs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SNEF and NTUC to demonstrate their support for the JSIT-R and the implementation of the JTM. TACs are committed to reaching out to and collaborating with over 1,100 member companies and other retailers to accelerate employment transformation for their workforce of about 94,000 employees.
To ensure that the Retail sector can continue to attract and retain talent while also creating quality jobs, a study was conducted to identify future industry trends as well as anticipate how future job roles and required skill sets must change to create new opportunities and meet evolving business needs.
Four major trends and opportunities have been identified:
- Shifts in consumer needs as a result of changes in lifestyle, preferences, and awareness;
- Emergence of new retail models (e.g., omnichannel, customer-centric retail experience, and innovative business model) that enable enhanced brand and shopping experiences;
- Using data analytics and improvements in retail technology to increase productivity and efficiency;
- Create a resilient and agile supply chain to improve inventory management and enable more fulfilling alternatives in an increasingly complicated and turbulent supply chain environment.
The JTM analysis highlighted existing work roles that are likely to change somewhat or significantly, such as sales associates and store managers. Changes such as new technology and shifting consumer needs will transform these jobs.
A fundamental recommendation in the JTM report for adapting to these trends and technology improvements is to transform the workforce through human capital development programmes that include training, job redesign, and skills-based career progression pathways.
Such efforts would allow employees to focus on more value-added work and plan their evolution, which would help the growth of businesses.
Some emerging job roles include Sustainability Specialist, Product Innovator, Customer Experience Manager, Customer Intelligence Analyst, Omni-channel Manager, Digital Marketer, Digital Transformation Manager, UI/UX Designer and Full Stack Developer.
Further, retailers can stay competitive in a continuously changing industry by utilising data analytics and developments in retail technology. It helps them to provide personalised experiences, optimise operations, and boost customer satisfaction, resulting in higher profitability and long-term success.
The utilisation of data analytics and improvements in retail technology is critical for merchants looking to increase productivity and efficiency. Retailers can obtain important insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and market trends by leveraging the power of data analytics.
This data enables them to make data-driven decisions, improve inventory management, personalise marketing efforts, and improve overall operational efficiency.
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The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) and a driverless vehicle company, established by a Chinese multinational technology corporation, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaboratively advance the implementation of autonomous driving and C-V2X technology in various scenarios within Hong Kong. The partnership also aims to explore opportunities for cooperation in developing High-Definition Maps (HD Maps), thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s smart mobility ecosystem.
The Vice President of Communication Technologies at ASTRI and the Head of Business Development at the driverless vehicle company signed the agreement. The signing was witnessed by the Chief Operating Officer of ASTRI and the Head of the international arm of the company.
As part of this collaboration, the two parties will extend the implementation of C-V2X technology to additional scenarios. The driverless vehicle company will provide support to ASTRI in the research and development of roadside infrastructure. Specifically, the company will deploy its Operating System of Intelligent Road Side (Smart Road Air OS) at the Sha Tin Smart Mobility Public Testing Route, aiding ASTRI in its endeavours.
This partnership capitalises on the tech company’s expertise in developing C-V2X infrastructure, autonomous driving software, and intelligent transportation operations, along with ASTRI’s strong research and development capabilities in 5G communication technology, AI, smart mobility, C-V2X technology, and road-testing experience. By merging these strengths, the collaboration aims to expedite the deployment of C-V2X technology across various scenarios in Hong Kong.
To address the distinctive urban environment of Hong Kong, both parties will additionally explore opportunities for cooperation in the development of High-Definition Maps (HD Maps). These efforts will focus on enhancing the technology and usability of HD maps through experimental projects. By collaborating on this aspect, the aim is to create more accurate and comprehensive mapping solutions that cater to the specific needs of Hong Kong’s urban landscape.
ASTRI has been actively involved in the research and development of C-V2X technology since 2015. With support from the Smart Transportation Fund of the Transport Department, ASTRI launched one of the world’s largest C-V2X public road tests in Hong Kong in 2021. This extensive test covered a 14km route from Hong Kong Science Park to Sha Tin town centre, allowing for the study and testing of C-V2X technology in various real-world scenarios on Hong Kong’s roads. The focus was not only on the technology itself but also on the necessary network and infrastructure.
Currently, the second phase of C-V2X public road tests is underway. The primary objective is to enhance road and pedestrian safety while improving traffic efficiency. This is achieved through the efficient, accurate, and rapid sharing of information leveraging one of ASTRI’s Hero Technologies: a high-speed, reliable, and low-latency 5G network solution.
In addition, the establishment of the “Smart Mobility (C-V2X) Technology Alliance” in April 2023 further enhances Hong Kong’s smart mobility ecosystem. This alliance promotes collaboration among the government, industry, academia, and research institutions, fostering cooperation on smart mobility and related technologies. The ultimate goal is to accelerate the implementation of C-V2X technology and infrastructure in Hong Kong, positioning the city as a model for smart cities.
Meanwhile, the company serves as a pilot unit for the state’s transportation sector. Its intelligent transportation business, along with its affiliated companies, is dedicated to spearheading the modernization of China’s intelligent transportation systems.
Their mission is to develop a world-class, integrated transportation system that aligns with the high-quality standards of being safe, convenient, efficient, green, and economical. Their efforts are in line with the overarching goal of achieving a transportation system that prioritizes people’s satisfaction, provides robust protection, and sets a global benchmark in terms of excellence.
The Association for Operating Systems of Intelligent Road Side was established in Beijing on 17 May 2023. This association introduced the Operating System of Intelligent Road Side (Smart Road Air OS 1.0) to the industry. The company, as one of the key technology contributors, will continue to adhere to the guiding principle of “Open Capabilities, Shared Resources, Accelerating Innovations, Sustainable Success.”
The company aims to foster the development of the smart transportation industry through an efficient, innovative, and mutually beneficial open-source association. By actively participating in this association, the company seeks to promote collaboration, encourage the sharing of resources and capabilities, and drive accelerated innovation within the smart transportation sector.
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A*STAR, in collaboration with a local F&B-centric robotics and automation SME, has developed a joint research and innovation initiative to foster innovation in robotic platforms for the Food Services industry.
This programme will combine both parties’ Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre’s (ARTC) skills to develop solutions that incorporate Food and Beverage (F&B) domain knowledge, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation.
The F&B-centric robotics and automation SME and A*STAR’s ARTC will invest S$3.5 million in developing a modular vision platform that can assist robotised operations in F&B by assisting these robots to self-navigate and self-calibrate in dynamic and space-constrained environments such as restaurant kitchens.
The combined effort will also use a digital twin platform to establish a digital representation of the F&B robotic system, allowing for real-time analytics that enables remote monitoring and optimisation of operations, accelerating the deployment of new robotic systems and decreasing operational downtime.
The combined research and innovation project embodies both A*STAR’s and the firm’s desire to leverage mutual capabilities to perform research combining F&B domain expertise, robotics, automation, AI, vision, and digital twin technologies.
The partnership is sure that the technology they produce will assist support and building the digital and automation capabilities of F&B firms. Besides, they believe that this will help Singapore establish itself as a major F&B robotics and automation hub, increase the efficiency of Food Service personnel, and help address the sector’s manpower problem and rising operational expenses.
The collaborative effort intends to create solutions that will enable the Food Services industry to automate operations and boost efficiency, lowering the amount of repetitious and physically demanding work and allowing F&B personnel to focus on higher-value jobs.
A*STAR’s ARTC engages with local enterprises to co-develop breakthrough technologies and co-innovate industry solutions to seize new growth possibilities locally and worldwide, according to Dr David Low, CEO of A*STAR’s ARTC.
He added that such public-private collaborations are critical in bringing complementary expertise together to address problem statements and increase productivity and efficiency in the Fast-Moving Food Services industry and beyond.
The Food Services business is set to expand and evolve further. Digitalisation and automation are critical to assisting F&B businesses in thriving and overcoming obstacles such as a labour shortage.
This collaboration will develop solutions to assist F&B enterprises in optimising their operations. They anticipate more similar cooperation between innovation and IT ecosystem partners to boost F&B company growth.
Drive innovation is critical for the food services industry because it has the potential to revolutionise operations and address significant concerns. Innovation serves as fuel for growth and sustainability in an era characterised by technical advancements and shifting consumer expectations.
Automation streamlines operations and reduces reliance on manual labour. Tasks such as food preparation, cooking, and serving can be carried out more efficiently by adding robotics, AI, and automation technology, resulting in higher productivity and lower operational expenses.
Improved consumer experiences are made possible by innovation. From self-ordering kiosks and smartphone apps to personalised recommendations and delivery drones, technology advancements improve consumer convenience, speed, and personalisation. This results in increased client happiness and loyalty, which ultimately drives corporate success.
It is also critical in addressing labour shortages. With rising labour costs and a diminishing workforce, automation and robotics provide options to fill the gaps, allowing food service enterprises to remain efficient and successful.
In addition, food service industry innovation can reduce environmental effects. Through innovative technologies, sustainable practices such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and eco-friendly packaging solutions can be integrated, leading to a greener and more socially responsible industry.
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The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and a major cloud computing company have announced the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Government Cloud Cluster (AGCC), a comprehensive platform designed to accelerate AI adoption in Singapore’s public sector, advance local applied AI research efforts and support the growth of the local AI startup ecosystem.
The AGCC has been implemented by SNDGO and the cloud tech company for usage by Singapore’s government agencies and the research, innovation, and enterprise (RIE) ecosystem. The AGCC is hosted in Singapore in a specialised cloud computing environment.
Agencies can use the AGCC to build and deploy scalable and impactful AI applications rapidly, safely, ethically, and cost-effectively by leveraging an AI technology stack and a vast partner ecosystem of software-as-a-service firms, consultancies, and AI startups. AI technology stack capabilities include:
First, an AI-optimised infrastructure. High-performance A2 supercomputers powered by NVIDIA’s A100 GPUs and hosted in an open, scalable, secure, and energy-efficient infrastructure. This enables cloud developers to train computationally complex AI models at fast speeds while minimising costs and environmental impact.
Customisable first-party, third-party, and open-source AI models follow. A central repository enabling AI practitioners to access pre-trained generative AI models, with built-in features to assist users in customising these models for specific requirements.
The repository contains a wide range of first-party, third-party, and open-source models designed for certain needs. These include models for summarising and translating text in different languages, sustaining an ongoing discussion, converting audio to text, producing, and modifying software code, and generating and repairing written descriptions.
International AI businesses interested in making their foundation models available to Singapore government departments can collaborate with the Cloud computing company to store these models in the repository.
Another category is no-code AI development tools. A Generative AI App Builder enabling developers (especially those with limited technical expertise) to swiftly construct and seamlessly embed chatbots and enterprise search experiences driven by Cloud’s generative AI models.
Finally, there are explainable AI and data governance toolkits. A set of built-in technologies that can assist government agencies in using AI in a secure and responsible manner. This includes features for access control and content moderation, as well as novel mechanisms for incorporating human feedback to improve model performance and the ability to audit the sources of AI model outputs to detect and resolve potential bias and ensure that model behaviour is compliant with regulations.
The Government Technology Agency (GovTech) is Singapore’s first public-sector organisation to use the AGCC. Its Open Government Products (OGP) team has integrated with Vertex AI and is investigating the use of its models in Pair, which are large language model-powered assistants that civil servants can use to help them boost productivity while maintaining the confidentiality of government information.
To help government agencies deploy AI applications as effectively and responsibly as possible, the Cloud tech company will collaborate with GovTech to design and run whole-of-government Digital Academy programmes that will assist agencies in developing in-house data science and AI expertise, developing AI innovation strategies, and implementing data governance best practices.
The programmes will be delivered in a variety of specialised formats to 150,000 public servants from 16 ministries and over 50 statutory boards.
Government agencies in Singapore will be able to use the AGCC and other authorised services through the Government on Commercial Cloud (GCC) 2.0 platform beginning in June 2023. The GCC platform, developed by GovTech, offers agencies a standardised and regulated means to implement commercial cloud solutions.
GCC 2.0, the platform’s second generation, is integrated with cloud-native capabilities and cloud security practices, enabling agencies to access into a larger ecosystem of services and people to accelerate the development of new digital applications.
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According to Masagos Zulkifli, Second Minister for Health at the recently concluded 8th Advance Care Planning International Conference, person-centred care includes prioritising the patient’s choices and involving the patient and their family in care decisions. As a result, advance care planning (ACP) allows individuals to communicate their enhanced healthcare preferences.
ACP has been adopted in Singapore under the Advance Medical Directive Act and the Mental Capacity Act. Over 35,000 Singaporeans have completed their plans under the “Living Matters” programme, which promotes ACP.
In the future, the Ministry of Health hopes to raise awareness and acceptance of ACP, which has earned global prominence for aligning care with individual beliefs.
Minister Masagos noted that three issues must be overcome to promote the wider adoption of ACP. To begin, Singapore’s traditional society requires a mindset shift to normalise dialogues about death and dying, particularly among the elderly.
Second, additional facilitators, particularly trustworthy doctors, should be included to effectively engage the community. Finally, the present ACP facilitation approach requires an improved structure that can accommodate a larger group without losing quality.
In addition, technology should be used to reach out to digitally literate populations and increase scalability. Overcoming these obstacles will allow ACP to gain wider support and implementation in Singapore.
The Ministry of Health hopes to improve accessibility and ease in the ACP process as Singapore embraces technology. Individuals can now complete their ACP autonomously, without the necessity for in-depth talks with facilitators, thanks to the use of digital technologies, especially for those who are generally healthy.
This transition to digital solutions tackles the scalability and resource intensity issues that have plagued traditional ACP facilitation. It also serves a growing generation of digitally literate consumers who want more control over their healthcare decisions.
The ACP community must work with the healthcare system’s continuing improvements, particularly the Healthier SG project, which emphasises preventive care. Key shifts are required to enhance ACP knowledge and implementation.
Also, a societal mindset shift is required, which includes outreach, providing ACP outside of clinical settings, and establishing a statewide Pre-Planning Campaign. Roadshows, workshops, and a digital campaign on the My Legacy site will be part of this effort.
Individuals can use this gateway to get extensive information about ACP, start conversations, and make informed decisions about their life preferences. These programmes not only empower individuals but also promote early planning, ensuring that their values and priorities fit with their care goals.
Individuals and their families will benefit from these efforts, which aim to stimulate talks and early planning for end-of-life care. It is critical to begin these discussions and make the appropriate arrangements, including as purchasing insurance and establishing a durable power of attorney and wills.
Two critical shifts must occur for ACP to be widely adopted. First, healthcare personnel should be encouraged to incorporate ACP dialogues into routine treatment, giving them the knowledge and ability to discuss end-of-life planning with their patients.
This involves starting early dialogues with people who have significant illnesses about how to connect their care plans with their values. Second, to improve the ease, the ACP procedure should be digitalised.
While third-party facilitators are still required in some circumstances, digitally savvy persons who are relatively healthy can self-facilitate the broad ACP without in-depth conversations. Citizens can empower themselves to finish the ACP process independently by leveraging technology and digital platforms.