AI Innovation Asia 2025

Economist Impact organized the 2nd annual AI Innovation Asia on December 2nd, 2025, at The Four Seasons Singapore. This leading event returns to tackle a key issue: although businesses recognize AI's potential to drive growth, many face challenges with implementation, governance, and achieving a return on investment; the event assist to guide executives from insight to impact in the AI Economy.

Economist Impact empowers businesses, governments, and foundations to drive change and facilitate progress. They blend the analytical rigor of a think tank with the creativity of a media brand, reaching an influential audience in sustainability, healthcare, and new globalization.

The event began with a ministerial keynote interview featuring Janil Puthucheary, senior minister of state, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore, who shared his economic perspectives on a future-ready Singapore with skills, enterprise and the human edge in the age of AI; the discussion explored how artificial intelligence reshapes and how economies create value and how Singapore is betting on human capital through education, enterprise partnerships and lifelong learning to turn disruption into opportunity. This conversation explores how policy, business and society can work together to ensure AI drives both productivity and inclusion.

The gathering united 500 executives to explore practical AI applications that add value through case studies and panel discussions. Participants engaged with top adopters, regulators, and solution providers, gaining actionable strategies and proven tools for effectively scaling AI in Asia.

Prior to the event, chair Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist and editor of The World Ahead, stated: "AI is drawing significant attention and investment, yet achieving tangible results at scale is more challenging than it appears. At AI Innovation Asia, we will convene representatives from companies across the region for an open discussion about what works, what doesn't, and how to maximize the benefits of this exciting technology."

Key themes include:

●The regulatory outlook for firms in Asia: examining the compliance challenges of navigating a fragmented regulatory ecosystem.

●Return on investment: how firms should measure their ROI on AI projects to justify spending and ensure profitability.

● Agentic AI and CX: understanding what agentic AI means for customer experience and how firms can responsibly utilize it.

● Explainable AI: addressing the 'black box' dilemma by examining how business leaders can maintain visibility in their AI systems without compromising effectiveness.

Other featured speakers include:

- Aseem Puri, chief executive, Unilever International

- Rowena Yeo, chief technology officer and global vice-president, technology services, Johnson & Johnson

-  Leaders from H&M, Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover, HSBC, Danone, AirAsia, DHL, Decathlon, Jardine Matheson, Klook and more.

The various panels discussed on points related to the measurement of cost savings and productivity gains from AI that can justify spending on the technology from leaders, and how organisations can boost returns on AI investment by identifying where it is best placed to solve business problems or create value; inherently, what are some of these AI’s drawbacks that could enhance or destroy business value.

As firms adopt artificial intelligence at speed, their exposure to cyber-risks is rising. Identity systems are becoming key points of vulnerability as AI automates processes for both defenders and attackers. The session examines how organisations can balance innovation with the safeguards and governance needed to keep AI secure.

AI Innovation Asia is sponsored by Boston Consulting Group, TikTok, Silverfort, Boomi, Lenovo and ViSenze.