Given all the hype around artificial intelligence at the moment, it’s unsurprising that Singaporeans are curious about how our future robot overlords perceive us.
On Monday, a Redditor generated AI images using OpenAI’s DALL-E of a Singaporean man that turned out to be “not so flattering.” But the four images, which were all of middle-aged Chinese men in collared shirts with receding hairlines, did seem like the average man you would bump into on Singapore’s streets.
We decided to take it a step further by quizzing AI artwork generator Midjourney and chatbot ChatGPT on what they think the average Singaporean looks like, as well as how they perceive our people and culture.
Here are the results:
Singaporean man
The average Singaporean man apparently has defined facial features and does not shy away from wearing bold bright colors with a touch of floral. Not to mention, they have large ears and appear solemn, almost like they are on the verge of tears.
According to ChatGPT, Singaporean men are a godsend. They are often “highly educated and highly skilled”, particularly in technology and innovation. Personality-wise, they can be “quite reserved and polite” but also have a sense of humor and a love for food.
ChatGPT also says they are family oriented and “may place a strong emphasis on traditional values such as filial piety.” It basically labels them goody two shoes who abide by the law and have a “strong sense of social responsibility and community spirit”.
Real Singaporean Nightmare Scenarios: Our pitch for new titles in the Mr. Midnight horror series
Singaporean woman
A Singaporean woman, too, wears floral Peranakan-style prints and has their hair up in a bun.
According to ChatGPT, Singaporean women are all the things of a Singaporean man plus they are “often confident and assertive” which means they are highly likely to be involved in activism to maintain the “orderliness of their city.”
Singaporean child
A Singaporean child is depicted as male toddlers with stubby noses and puppy eyes that, similar to a Singaporean man, look like they are on the verge of crying.
According to ChatGPT, many attend prestigious schools where they are “expected to perform well academically”, especially in math, science, and languages.
Also, their parents put an emphasis on letting the child explore “a range of interests and develop a well-rounded skill set.”
Singaporean couples
Seems like Midjourney thinks all the couples in Singapore are old. More collared shirts with floral patterns and much more wrinkles were generated.
When asked to describe what a Singaporean couple is like, ChatGPT said some interesting common traits they all have are being “hardworking” with an obsession about being financially stable, “multicultural” and “romantic”. It added that many Singaporean couples still value affection despite not always being able to openly express their emotions.
Singaporean family
Warning: Staring too closely at AI-generated faces and fingers can be pure nightmare fuel.
Ahh, a typical Singaporean family involves at least one male figure, a young daughter and senior parents (or grandparents). Most adults are also spectacled.
According to ChatGPT, Singaporean families are multi-generational, highly value education, respects the elderly and place “strong emphasis” on family bonding through shared meals. Sounds about right.
Singaporean food
AI-generated Singaporean food seems hearty as each image comes with at least an egg, a dumpling, some chili paste and rice. It’s as if you put Nasi Lemak, Roti Prata and Chinese pork dumplings all on one plate.
Singaporean culture
Singapore is famously multicultural, as evidenced by these AI-generated images that seem to mix a lot of different cultures together. There are emblems that look like flags from Malaysia and Vietnam with young girls dressed in kimonos, wearing hijabs and even a boy in a feathered headdress (?). There’s also finally some representation of the huge part of Singapore’s population that is non-Chinese.
While we were at it, we asked ChatGPT a few more questions about the Little Red Dot.
Are Singaporeans happy?
TL;DR: We sure are, apparently, despite surveys showing that we are stressed out.
Singapore is consistently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world, according to various international surveys and indices.
Factors contributing to Singapore’s high levels of happiness may include its strong economy, high standard of living, low levels of crime, excellent healthcare and education systems, and its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society.
Singapore’s high rankings in various happiness indices suggest that overall, Singaporeans enjoy a good quality of life and generally experience a high level of happiness and well-being.
Describe Singapore
TL;DR: A leader in getting work done but plagued by issues around sustainability, inequality and mental health.
Despite its small size, Singapore has a significant impact on the global stage, with a reputation for being a leader in areas such as technology, education, and business.
However, Singapore also faces ongoing challenges, including issues related to environmental sustainability, income inequality, and mental health and well-being.
Nonetheless, Singapore is generally regarded as a highly successful country, both in terms of economic development and quality of life.
Describe a day in the life of a Singaporean
TL;DR: Boring.
Other stories you should check out:
