Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) published the Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI in January 2026. The instrument is a non-binding guidance framework, not primary legislation, but carries regulatory weight in Singapore's AI governance environment and constitutes the first jurisdiction-level governance document specifically designed for agentic AI systems.
The framework defines agentic AI as systems that act autonomously on goals with minimal human direction at each operational step. IMDA identifies five categories of agentic risk: erroneous actions, unauthorised actions, biased or unfair actions, data breaches, and disruption to connected systems. Four governance dimensions are prescribed: accountability structures, data governance, model robustness, and human oversight. Human oversight is designated as a mandatory governance component that must be preserved even in multi-agent architectures where individual system-level supervision is technically complex.
Technology companies, financial institutions, digital asset platforms, and insurance operators deploying AI agents in customer service, compliance monitoring, trading, or claims processing must assess whether their governance structures meet the IMDA standard. Operators procuring agentic AI from third-party suppliers bear accountability for governance outcomes under the framework: the deploying organisation, not the developer alone, remains responsible for ensuring governance requirements are met.
Singapore has not enacted legislation to mandate compliance with the framework, but regulated entities in financial services, telecommunications, and healthcare may face supervisory expectations aligned to its standards. Multi-agent coordination risks, including cascading errors across interconnected AI systems, are identified in the framework but no specific technical controls are prescribed for them. The framework predates but informs ongoing EU AI Act implementation guidance on general-purpose AI models and agentic systems.
Licentium advises technology businesses and financial institutions on AI regulatory compliance across Asia-Pacific and European jurisdictions. We can assist organisations deploying agentic AI with governance gap assessments and cross-border compliance mapping where Singapore, EU, and UK AI obligations interact. Work we undertake includes AI governance policy design, agentic AI risk assessments, regulatory engagement, and third-party AI supplier due diligence.
Source: Singapore IMDA, Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI, January 2026