AI Apex Asia's Inaugural Event Showcased Innovation and Collaboration in the Region's Booming AI Landscape

SINGAPORE, June 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural AI Apex Asia 2024, held on June 5th, 2024, at Lazada One, Singapore, concluded with resounding success. Organised by AI Apex Asia, a newly established non-profit organisation dedicated to driving artificial intelligence (AI) advancements across the continent, the event served as a pivotal platform for fostering collaboration and showcasing Asia's burgeoning dominance in the global AI landscape.

Themed "The Asia Advantage," this exclusive event brought together over a hundred esteemed guests, including leading researchers, developers, policymakers, industry leaders, and investors from across Asia. The conference provided a valuable forum for these key stakeholders to exchange ideas, explore critical challenges and opportunities in AI, and collectively chart a path for Asia's continued leadership in this transformative technology.

AI Apex Asia 2024 was strategically designed to foster collaboration and drive thought leadership within the AI community. The program kicked off with insightful keynotes from renowned figures such as Lee Yi Shyan, former Senior Minister of State; Prof Inderjit Singh, a former member of the Singapore Parliament; Emad Mostaque, founder of Stability AI; and Laurence Liew, Director at AI Singapore.

The conference continued with engaging panel discussions, live demonstrations showcasing the latest AI technologies and applications, and productive networking opportunities. Attendees left feeling empowered and inspired, equipped with new insights and connections to drive the region's ambitions in AI forward.

Agenda Highlights

• Inspiring Opening Remarks: Mr. Lee Yi Shyan, Chairman of Business China and OUE REIT Management Pte Ltd, and former Senior Minister of State, delivered an opening address to a room of AI researchers, developers, and entrepreneurs. He underscored Singapore's commitment to cementing its status as a dynamic regional epicenter for AI talent and innovation, aligned with the goals of its National AI Strategy 2.0. Mr. Lee spotlighted Singapore's competitive advantages, such as its advanced digital infrastructure, business-accommodating policies, and a well-educated workforce, positioning it as the perfect hub for cutting-edge AI enterprises. He extended a warm invitation to the global AI community to collaborate with Singapore and leverage its environment to propel their AI endeavours to new heights.
• Insightful Keynotes: Renowned figures delivered inspiring keynote speeches on the future of AI and the landscape of the AI industry in Singapore.
• Prof Singh's address, titled "Asia's Advantage: Leading the Charge in the Age of AI," delved into the region's exceptional capabilities in manufacturing and robotics, its dynamic developer ecosystem, and its technologically adept population. He also discussed how the integration of AI and blockchain technologies fortifies Asia's leadership in global AI development.
• Emad Mostaque, the founder of Stability AI, delivered a keynote on "Open-source AI by the People, for the People," emphasising the transformative power of accessible AI technologies.
• Laurence Liew, Director of AI Singapore, presented a policy talk on "Leveraging Singapore's AI Capabilities for Global Influence" which highlighted the importance of a forward-thinking approach to AI adoption.
• Engaging Panel Discussions: Experts from diverse backgrounds tackled critical themes that are shaping AI's future.
• A panel titled "Where Mind Meets Machine - Unlocking the Future of Robotics and Embodied AI" discussed the latest advancements in developing intelligent robots capable of interacting with the physical world. The panellists explored how to leverage the remarkable capabilities of generative AI to create general-purpose robots and apply scaling laws to drive future-embodied AI innovation. Panellists included:
• Junbo Chen, CEO of Udeer AI
• Xinhua Liu, Venture Partner at Gaorong Ventures
• Lin Shao, Assistant Professor at NUS, who is also an expert in robotics and embodied AI research.
• Another panel, "The Convergence of AI and Web3," explored blockchain technology and Web3's potential to revolutionise AI solution development and deployment, with speakers including:
• Michael Heinrich, CEO of 0G Labs
• Brian Liang, COO of aelf
• Prof. Liu Yang, CEO of AgentLayer and Executive Director of CyberSG
• Dr. George, Co-founder & CTO of Mind Network
• Bell Beh, Co-Founder & CEO of BuzzAR.
• A third panel titled "Asia AI's Playbook: Path to Growth, Revenue, Defensibility and Capital Markets" featured insightful discussions from industry leaders on strategies for AI startups and companies to achieve sustainable growth, generate revenue, build defensible moats, and access capital markets in Asia. The panellists included:
• Joe Yan, Operating Partner at Granite Asia
• Danny Goh, co-founder of AI Native Foundation
• Hao Wang, Managing Director of HongShan Capital
• James Liu, Director of New Business and Innovation Alliance at Alibaba Cloud International.
• Curated Networking Opportunities: The conference facilitated valuable connections and collaborations among the attendees. Dedicated networking sessions and social events provided a platform for AI professionals, academics, industry leaders, and investors to connect, share ideas, and explore potential partnerships.

Keynote Highlights

Prof Inderjit Singh, President of WBAF Global Startup Committee and a former member of the Singapore Parliament: "With a 50% share in global manufacturing and home to 25% of the world's blockchain startups, along with its robust developer ecosystem geared for innovation, Asia is primed to leverage its manufacturing and software prowess to spearhead the AI revolution. Recent data from IBM's Global AI Adoption Index 2024 reflects this trajectory, indicating Asian countries and businesses outpacing their Western counterparts in embracing and accelerating AI adoption. If we collectively unlock the potential of these current and potential strengths, we can build a shared vision of a future where Asia leads the way in shaping the course of technological progress, fostering economic growth, and improving the lives of people across our region and beyond."

Emad Mostaque, Founder of Stability AI: "AI needs to be fundamentally open and transparent, from the code to the data, ensuring it serves the entire society and not just a select few. By integrating these intelligent systems into our government, healthcare, and educational sectors, we create a foundation for a more equitable society. Moreover, the future of AI governance must embrace democratic processes to ensure these technologies enhance, not hinder, our communal and personal sovereignties."

Laurence Liew, Director of Al Singapore: "A proactive approach to AI development is crucial for empowering startups and SMBs in Singapore. As government programmes and institutions nurture the growth of AI companies, it's essential that they also enable these companies to retain their intellectual rights. This approach ensures that startups and SMBs can harness AI effectively and collaboratively. By the end of next year, we anticipate that most SMBs in Singapore will be utilising AI to significantly enhance their productivity and capabilities in everyday business operations."

A Pivotal Moment for AI in Asia

AI Apex Asia 2024 emerged as a landmark gathering, underscoring Asia's strategic importance in the global AI dialogue and setting a precedent for future regional collaborations and conferences. Looking ahead, AI Apex Asia is committed to maintaining this momentum, staying at the forefront of facilitating crucial conversations and innovations, and cementing Asia's position as a leader in AI technology. This inaugural event was just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey towards a more interconnected and technologically advanced future—a future where members can shape the development of AI not only in Asia but worldwide.

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Find out more about AI Apex Asia on:
Website: https://aiapex.asia/
X: https://x.com/AIApexAsia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ai-apex-asia/ 
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About AI Apex Asia

AI Apex Asia is a community that brings together leading voices in AI across Asia to engage, build consensus, and create synergies to shape the AI ecosystem for the prosperity of the region's economy.

AI Apex Asia fosters strategic partnerships and collaborations that drive progress in the AI ecosystem across the region. We bring together leading organizations, industry associations, research institutions, and government agencies to collectively shape the future of AI governance, innovation, and adoption in Asia. Through these partnerships, we facilitate knowledge sharing, joint initiatives, and collaborative efforts to address critical challenges, explore frontier advancements, and unlock the transformative potential of AI for sustainable economic growth and societal impact.

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