Filipino serial entrepreneur Jason Torres, backed by a consortium of industry tech and startup veterans, has launched BetterGov.ph, a volunteer-led civic technology initiative to confront the significant transparency and efficiency challenges within Philippine governance.

The platform, which went live on 19 September alongside collaborators Christian Blanquera, Christopher Star, and four other partners, is positioned not merely as a project builder but as a crucial consolidator for the rapidly growing Southeast Asian civic tech movement.

Also Read: AI is not slowing demand for software developers in the Philippines

The initiative’s primary goal is to leverage open-source methods and grassroots engagement to make government services more transparent, efficient, and accessible to citizens.

BetterGov seeks to support, promote, and empower other builders who have launched “wonderful and impressive tech ideas”.

The frustration driving civic tech

The conceptualisation of BetterGov emerged from deep professional frustration regarding the state of fundamental digital infrastructure. Torres– who has built multiple companies, including Mashup Garage, Slerp, and Producloud–disclosed that the initiative began as a “silly idea” around June 2025, sparked by exasperation when browsing core government websites, such as gov.ph, which he estimated may have been last updated a decade ago and remains “full of dead links”.

A major datapoint underpinning the urgency of the initiative is the issue of accessibility for the Filipino diaspora. Torres noted that based on his own experience, almost 75 per cent of Philippine government websites are not accessible overseas.

This perceived digital neglect has spurred the founder, who identifies as a professional capable of making “a better version of these websites,” to commit personally to investing time, resources, and money into the movement. The initial vision has quickly evolved into playing a “bigger role,” offering a powerful outlet for “creative projects with an impact”.

Operationalising support: Infrastructure and mentorship

BetterGov is committed to providing essential operational support typically difficult to secure for volunteer-led efforts to ensure that nascent civic tech projects can scale effectively.

The resources offered to support partner initiatives and builders include:

• Infrastructure, servers, AI credits, tools, and more.
• Data and API endpoints.
• Help identifying suitable resource persons and finding a dedicated tech team.
• Organising focused tech hackathons.
• Mentorship from industry veterans.
• Access to physical office space.

The team has expressed openness to integrating more ideas and seeking out collaborators who are “smarter than us”.

A relentless, open-source commitment

Torres has adopted a posture of relentless building, stating he will continue developing “without anyone’s permission.” His output is strictly focused on “Open source, public, high-quality sites.”

Also Read: Lenovo powers Southeast Asia’s digital growth at Echelon Philippines 2025

While acknowledging the deep-seated anger surrounding public service failures, the initiative is framed as a constructive path forward, asserting: “We can contribute in our own ways no matter how little it is. We can do amazing things together, grassroots style, open source.”

The overarching commitment driving BetterGov.ph is the belief that “We Filipinos deserve better”. Collaboration is actively encouraged, and a dedicated Discord channel has been established to facilitate joint efforts.

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As Singapore accelerates towards a low-carbon future, the electric vehicle (EV) industry is emerging as both an opportunity and a challenge. Dr Chiam Sing Yang, Deputy Executive Director and Technical Director at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), and a key figure in the Singapore Battery Consortium (SBC), believes the country is still in the early stages of adoption, but poised for transformation.

“Large-scale adoption of battery products, whether in energy storage systems (ESS) or EV, is still at its early stages,” says Dr Chiam in an email interview with e27.

While Singapore has ambitious goals, barriers remain. For consumers, practical concerns such as upfront cost, uncertain resale value, and limited charging infrastructure weigh heavily on purchasing decisions. Businesses, meanwhile, struggle with the return on investment for heavier vehicles, where EV economics have yet to reach a tipping point.

Beyond transport, energy storage presents its own difficulties. “For ESS in Singapore, revenue models beyond compliance will then support deployment, especially with electricity imports,” Dr Chiam explains.

He emphasises that cleaner and more cost-effective energy is not just about addressing climate change but is “a cornerstone for economic activities” and critical for Singapore’s growth. Safety, however, is another factor that could derail momentum.

“Incidents, when amplified, can slow progress,” he warns.

Also Read: BetterGov.ph: A bold civic tech push to fix Philippine governance

Seeking solutions across the value chain

When asked about solutions, Dr Chiam–who recently spoke at the 3rd ASEAN Battery Technology Conference in Thailand–points to improvements in both technology and governance. Product innovation must focus on safety, cost, and digital integration, while better inspection regimes for battery health and third-party validation can strengthen trust in the market.

He also highlights the need for systems that monetise second-hand batteries, ensuring circularity and sustainability. Yet these solutions are not the responsibility of one actor alone.

“Resources vary, and the tricky aspect is that it may involve multiple value chain players,” he notes. Collaboration across industries, regulators, and researchers is essential if EVs in Singapore are to scale effectively.

Looking ahead, Dr Chiam is optimistic about the potential of emerging technologies. “From the materials side, we are excited about new tech in next-gen batteries, including dry processes, solid-state batteries, and non-lithium-ion batteries,” he says.

On the digital front, integrating predictive data analytics could transform how batteries are monitored and maintained. He also sees promise in a “battery passport” — a digital record enabling transparency and resource sustainability.

Government action has played a central role in shaping the EV ecosystem. Singapore’s 2030 ban on new internal combustion car sales and the ongoing rollout of EV charging infrastructure provide clear intent signals.

“In adoption, Singapore has approached from the policy angle,” Dr Chiam notes, noting that industry policies attracting high-tech players apply across sectors, including EV and energy storage. For ESS, incentives such as demand response and interruptible load schemes have also helped build momentum.

Also Read: Survive the chop, ride the wave: Why Q4 could deliver a surge in tech and digital assets

Safety and cost: twin threats

Despite this progress, Dr Chiam is cautious about what could threaten the EV industry’s trajectory. Safety improvements often require significant investment, which can make it cost-prohibitive. Worse, safety is too frequently approached only as a compliance issue, rather than as a core part of long-term innovation and consumer confidence. This gap could slow adoption unless addressed.

Looking to the near future, Dr Chiam predicts 2026 could be the year alternative chemistries begin to break through. “This is the year I think we will see sodium-ion batteries start to take some market share,” he forecasts.

If realised, this shift could make EVs in Singapore more affordable and accessible, easing reliance on lithium and addressing some of the cost barriers consumers face today.

The pathway to widespread EV adoption in Singapore is neither straightforward nor guaranteed. It requires alignment across technology, policy, business models, and public trust. However, with continued innovation and collaboration, the city-state may yet become a leader in the clean transport revolution.

—

Image Credit: Dr Chiam Sing Yang

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Growing a business should be exciting. Yet for many founders, the day-to-day reality involves navigating admin, compliance, and back-office tasks that can slow down momentum.

The Founder Growth Playbook was created to address this challenge. Drawing on the experiences of more than 1,800 founders in Singapore and Hong Kong, it explores how entrepreneurs are turning these necessary tasks into opportunities for smarter growth. Download it here.

Insights from 1,800 founders

Based on the real experiences of founders in Singapore and Hong Kong, the playbook reveals patterns that separate those who feel constantly buried in admin from those who are able to focus on what matters most: growth.

It uncovers four key lessons founders wish they had known earlier. These are lessons that help turn everyday challenges into opportunities to scale smarter.

Also read: Osome bolsters leadership with new COO and VP of Marketing

A founder’s toolkit for clarity

The playbook doesn’t just share stories and insights. It also includes a practical toolkit designed to help you:

• Spot blind spots in your current setup.
• Ask the right questions when choosing partners.
• Map your tools and see where growth opportunities are hiding.

Inside, you’ll even find one simple question most founders forget to ask when evaluating a service provider and why that one question can save you months of wasted effort.

Built for founders, free to download

Whether you’re at incorporation stage or already scaling fast, the Founder Growth Playbook will give you fresh perspective on how to build smarter, not harder.

Get your copy today and discover the four lessons yourself.

The post Automate early, grow faster: Lessons from 1,800 founders appeared first on e27.

In a fireside chat at Echelon Singapore 2025, Nikhilesh Goel, co-founder of Validus, reflected on the fintech’s decade-long journey in Southeast Asia’s SME lending space. Since its inception, Validus has facilitated more than US$5 billion in SME loans, backed by US$60 million in equity and nearly US$500 million in debt funding. Goel attributed their survival and growth to prioritising common sense over market hype, emphasising persistence and a quiet, determined approach.

The company faced significant hurdles, particularly in the post-COVID environment when capital flows tightened, forcing them to rationalise manpower and restructure operations. A pivotal moment came when Validus sold its Singapore business to the Grab–SingTel digital bank joint venture in a cash deal, ensuring continuity without any job losses. This move highlighted their pragmatic approach to sustainability while safeguarding their team.

Throughout the discussion, Goel underscored the importance of people-centric practices, both in how Validus serves its SME customers and in how it treats its employees. He also urged startups to adopt smarter, more resilient business models, especially in volatile markets, to withstand shocks and secure long-term growth. His insights offered a candid perspective on endurance, adaptability, and leadership in fintech.

The post Echelon Singapore 2025 – Built through the storm: How Validus navigated headwinds and emerged stronger appeared first on e27.

At first glance, MoneyHero’s Q2 2025 numbers suggest a turnaround, but the headline “profitability” rests on shaky ground.

The Singapore-based financial aggregator posted a slim net income of US$0.2 million–driven almost entirely by deep cost cuts and a favourable foreign exchange swing, rather than genuine revenue growth. (The group employed a similar playbook in Q4 2024; more on that here.)

The topline paints a sobering picture: revenue slid 13 per cent YoY to US$18 million, with sharp contractions in the Philippines (–42 per cent) and Taiwan (–47 per cent). In Malaysia, revenue dried up completely. In fact, Q1 the group’s overall revenue had already fallen to US$14.3 million from the same period last year.

After cutting about 80 jobs in 2024 to “streamline operations”, the company is now heavily reliant on Hong Kong and Singapore, which together contribute over 86 per cent of revenue—exposing the cracks in its regional diversification strategy.

Customer activity is also waning. Applications fell 14 per cent, approvals dropped 18 per cent, and while membership grew 33 per cent to 8.6 million, engagement is clearly eroding.

To its credit, MoneyHero is pivoting to higher-margin verticals like insurance and wealth (now 27 per cent of revenue). Still, without reigniting real growth in Southeast Asia, its Q2 “profitability” risks being remembered as a fleeting accounting win rather than a durable turnaround.

REGIONAL

MoneyHero swings to profit, but only on cost cuts and FX gains
Total operating costs and expenses (excluding net foreign exchange differences) plummeted by 37 per cent YoY to US$20.6M | This dramatic reduction was broad-based, including strategic technology cost reductions, simplified operations, and a “comprehensive restructuring” of employee benefit expenses | Employee benefit expenses specifically dropped from US$6.712 million in Q2 2024 to US$3.700 million in Q2 2025.

Southeast Asia digital bank Yup raises US$32M
Investors are Moore Strategic Ventures and Spice Expeditions | The new funding brings Yup’s total equity raised to over US$100M since its founding in 2021 | The company will use the funds to expand its customer base and enhance its digital banking offerings for underbanked and underserved segments in the region.

Alodokter closes investment led by SEA-focused angel investors
AngelCentral is the lead investor | Alodokter offers telemedicine consultations, doctor appointment bookings, health content, and e-pharmacy | The company previously secured a US$5.2M in early 2024 and has over 20M monthly active users.

Grab, WeRide to launch first autonomous shuttle service in SG
Ai.R, Grab’s first autonomous vehicle service for consumers in Singapore, will operate the new AV shuttle service in Punggol, the only service chosen to run on two designated routes, starting with an initial fleet of 11 vehicles.

Nvsion secures fresh capital to drive AI-led semiconductor inspections
The investor is Cambrian Fund | Nvsion’s solutions enhance precision, improve quality, and increase efficiency in outsourced semiconductor assembly and test and electronics manufacturing services segments.

SG IoT provider iSense gets investment from Chinese company Dnake
The investment will see iSense shift its manufacturing to DNAKE’s facilities and collaborate on new IoT solutions in healthcare, access control, security, and urban monitoring | iSense provides smart city technology for projects in Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia.

SeaX Ventures joins Brineworks in race to decarbonise aviation and shipping
The firm’s DAC technology promises to unlock ultra-low-cost carbon feedstocks for sustainable aviation fuels and e-methanol, powered entirely by renewable energy, while co-producing significant amounts of hydrogen | Carbon feedstocks are raw carbon-based inputs that serve as the building blocks for making fuels, chemicals, or materials.

Bliink launches business travel platform to empower Indonesia’s MSMEs
Bliink’s new offering is tailored to reduce inefficiencies in a segment that forms Indonesia’s economic backbone yet remains largely underserved by traditional corporate travel solutions | The company partnered strategically with the Ministry of Communication and Informatics to support MSME digitalisation.

BetterGov.ph: A bold civic tech push to fix Philippine governance
Launched by Filipino serial entrepreneur Jason Torres, backed by a consortium of industry tech and startup veterans, BetterGov.ph is a volunteer-led civic technology initiative to confront the significant transparency and efficiency challenges within Philippine governance.

REPORTS, INTERVIEWS & FEATURES

From labs to boardrooms: QAI Ventures bets on Singapore’s quantum future
Singapore has built one of the world’s most coordinated national quantum strategies, backed by long-term funding and public-private partnerships | As a financial and logistics hub, it provides immediate boardroom-level use cases in areas like fraud detection, risk modelling, and secure supply chains.

Facing EV hurdles, Indonesia looks to nickel and battery supply chains for answers
Indonesia’s new administration has placed industrial downstreaming at the centre of its energy and economic strategy | Under its “Asta Cita” or eight-vision framework, the fifth vision is dedicated to expanding value-added industries | Nickel, which Indonesia holds the world’s largest reserves of, is at the heart of this plan.

INTERNATIONAL

SoftBank, Meta, others to build Japan-Singapore submarine cable
The submarine cable system called Candle will connect Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore | The project, with NEC as the system supplier, will span about 8,000 km and is scheduled to start operations in 2028.

Trump says Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch might invest in TikTok deal
While Trump did not specify whether he was talking about personal or company investments, following his comments, Deadline reported that Fox Corp — owner of Fox News, run by CEO Lachlan Murdoch, and long led by chairman emeritus Rupert — is in fact in talks to join the investor group backing TikTok’s US spinoff from owner ByteDance.

UK bank NatWest to invest in Indian startups
The UK-based bank is targeting companies in payment solutions, agentic AI, and control frameworks, with planned investments ranging from US$250K to US$2M per deal | NatWest recently opened an expanded global capability centre in Bengaluru, adding to its existing locations in Gurugram and Chennai, where it employs about 17,000 people.

Indian VC firm 888 launches US$19.8M fund for AI, deeptech startups
The fund will target investments of US$240K to US$482K per startup over the next three years, with a focus on companies aiming for global markets | 888 VC also introduced GRO8, a platform for cross-border investment and mentorship, which will offer services such as capital access, mentorship, and market connections.

Cryptocurrencies drop as US$1.5B in bullish bets liquidated
Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, dropped up to 9 per cent to US$4,075 as nearly US$500M in leveraged bullish bets were wiped out, according to Coinglass data | Bitcoin also fell almost 3 per cent to US$111,998 during the same period |More than 407,000 traders had positions liquidated within 24 hours.

UAE targets 10K entrepreneurs with ‘Startup Capital’ initiative
The campaign is managed by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, with participation from over 50 public and private sector entities, including business incubators and academic institutions | Key initiatives include launching StartupEmirates.ae, training 10K Emiratis through the Entrepreneurship Programme, and licensing 500 Emiratis to manage residential construction projects.

European ride-hailing firm Bolt launches in Taiwan
Bolt is partnering with local Taiwanese fleets to provide its service in Taipei, joining a market that has had limited platform options for ride-hailing | The Tallinn-based company operates in over 600 cities across 50+ countries, offering ride-hailing, scooter, e-bike, and car rentals.

SEMICONDUCTOR

MediaTek launches new AI chip to rival Qualcomm
The Taiwanese semiconductor firm said the processor, Dimensity 9500, was built using a 3-nanometer process by TSMC | It will enable features like enhanced call and meeting summaries, improved AI model performance, and higher-quality 4K photos.

Samsung shares rise 5.3 per cent on Nvidia chip approval reports
The shares rose 5.3 per cent to their highest level since August 2024 after reports that the company’s 12-layer HBM3E memory chips passed Nvidia’s qualification tests | Samsung, based in South Korea, produces memory chips used in AI and other computing applications.

Taiwan sees GDP boost from TSMC, AI demand
Taiwan is expected to surpass South Korea in GDP per capita in 2025, driven by the growth of TSMC and rising demand for AI applications, according to Taiwan’s National Development Council | TSMC, a Taiwan-based contract chipmaker, increased its global foundry market share to 70.2 per cent in Q2 2025, according to TrendForce, while Samsung held 7.3 per cent.

AI

LLM prompting, fine-tuning, RAG, or AI agents: Which AI is better for marketing?
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to AI in marketing | Small businesses might start with LLM prompting or dip into AI agents to get an edge, while larger enterprises can leverage RAG for its real-time insights and fine-tuning for brand consistency | Ultimately, AI isn’t here to replace human marketers; it’s here to amplify creativity and strategic decision-making.

Agentic AI in action: How Southeast Asia’s startups are turning constraints into strengths
Agentic AI is not about creating machines that replace humans | It is about giving small, ambitious teams the leverage to do what was previously impossible | And that is why Southeast Asia matters | Here, innovation is often born not from abundance but from constraint | The region’s complexity—its languages, its fragmented regulations, its entrepreneurial hunger—makes it one of the most important testbeds for this next frontier of AI.

The AI revolution’s dark side: Mass unemployment, rage, and the collapse of stability
AI threatens the core economic identity of white-collar workers, stripping away not just income but also their sense of purpose and social superiority | The sense of betrayal felt by these workers — falling down the economic and social ladder with no way back — will generate rage on a scale rarely seen.

What happens when AI transforms social networks into civic square?
The transition from network to community governance is not speculative; Already, decentralised platforms are experimenting with models that move beyond corporate stewardship | MeWe, a privacy focused alternative social media network, rejects surveillance driven capital in favour of community and user-centric control.

Why the future of AI on mobile may not be in the cloud
We are entering a phase where the intelligence is not just in the cloud, not just in the model, but in the choreography between device, data, and environment | AI that truly feels human won’t be achieved through brute compute or bigger models | It will come from systems designed to operate at the speed of thought.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Why I built an app to make blood donation less scary
Technology should serve as an enabler, not a gatekeeper | By designing tools that are intuitive, affordable and scalable, we can influence public attitudes towards blood donation and tackle one of the region’s most urgent yet solvable healthcare challenges.

Funding for good: A new era
The challenge—and opportunity—for investors is to make funding for good the norm rather than the exception | By backing startups that deliver measurable social impact, capital can flow toward ventures that strengthen communities, preserve the planet, and still generate strong financial returns.

Most CTOs obsess over tech, I obsess over trust — here’s why
In the world of AI and ML, trust is crucial | These technologies can be transformative, but they’re also often seen as a “black box” mysterious and sometimes even intimidating | To use AI/ML effectively, businesses must trust that the algorithms are working as expected, that the data is secure, and that the models are making decisions in an ethical way.

How this founder went from being a tutor to a modern day mompreneur
Female entrepreneurs need a solid community to help them get through the difficult times in their business journey | After all, shattering the glass ceiling is hardly a one (wo)man job | When it comes to stepping outside gender norms, the entrepreneurial world can be brutal.

Cybersecurity in the AI age: How startups can stay ahead
The emergence of new tactics such as Jailbreak-as-a-Service highlights the democratisation of cyber threats, underscoring the need for startups to stay ahead of the curve | Recent technological developments mean that hostilities can now come from anywhere, which makes threat detection increasingly complex, particularly as we look ahead to the future.

How this startup is bringing efficiency to the process of exchanging business cards
Shake is a contact data exchange and management app platform which truly digitises the business card and makes for seamless data distribution and collection | More importantly, the platform addresses a variety of needs and problems which businesses and business people likely didn’t even realise they have.

How is open-source collaboration empowering Asia’s fastest growing markets?
Open-source collaboration can be a gateway to innovation | It provides a platform where individuals and organisations collaborate to create, develop, and improve software freely shared among users | For example, consider popular platforms like Linux or WordPress; they’ve allowed endless customisation opportunities on a global scale.

Decoding startup financing: Why pre-money SAFEs are founders’ best bet
In a pre-money SAFE, the valuation cap is determined before the investor’s contribution | This approach anchors the investor’s ownership stake to the valuation of the company at the time of their investment | As a founder, this can work in your favour, as you are less susceptible to dilution caused by subsequent investments at higher valuations.

Why Japanese startups are interested in the Southeast Asian market
South East Asia has a growing middle class of consumers with increasingly high purchasing power driving up demand in multiple sectors | This provides a great opportunity for Japanese startups to establish a foothold in the region and tap into the potential of the markets by plugging their services into multiple industries.

The post Ecosystem Roundup: MoneyHero profit on cuts & FX | Trump: Murdochs eye TikTok | Yup Bank raises US$32M appeared first on e27.

MoneyHero Limited (Nasdaq: MNY), the financial aggregation platform operating across Greater Southeast Asia, has reported a nominal net income for the second quarter of 2025 (Q2 2025), a stark reversal from the substantial losses recorded last year.

However, a closer inspection of the financials reveals that this technical profitability was achieved primarily through aggressive cost-cutting and favourable foreign exchange movements, masking a significant 13 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in total revenue.

Also Read: Decoding MoneyHero’s Q1: The profit push amid shrinking revenues

The Singapore-based group, which operates platforms like SingSaver and Moneymax, announced a net income of US$0.2 million for Q2 2025, sharply contrasting with the net loss of US$(12.2) million during the same period in 2024. Management celebrated this pivot as evidence that their strategy for “durable, profitable growth” is working.

Yet, this profitability success relies heavily on operational discipline rather than top-line growth. Total revenue dropped to US$18 million in Q2 2025 from US$20.7 million a year earlier. MoneyHero attributes this contraction to a “deliberate moderation of lower-margin credit card volumes” and a strategic shift towards diversifying revenue mix.

The true drivers of profit: Cost cuts and FX gains

While the transition to higher-margin verticals like insurance and wealth is underway (comprising 27 per cent of revenue, up five percentage points YoY), the critical levers driving the US$0.2 million net income were deep expense reductions and external financial factors:

• Operating cost massacre: Total operating costs and expenses (excluding net foreign exchange differences) plummeted by 37 per cent YoY to US$20.6 million. This dramatic reduction was broad-based, including strategic technology cost reductions, simplified operations, and a “comprehensive restructuring” of employee benefit expenses. Employee benefit expenses specifically dropped from US$6.712 million in Q2 2024 to US$3.700 million in Q2 2025.
• Foreign exchange windfall: The reported net income was significantly bolstered by an unrealised foreign exchange gain arising from the weakening of the US dollar against local currencies during the quarter. The net foreign exchange differences swung from a loss of US$(1.848) million in Q2 2024 to a gain of US$2.969 million in Q2 2025. The unrealised foreign exchange gain, net, was US$2.951 million for Q2 2025, compared to a US$1.766 million loss a year prior.

Interim CFO Danny Leung affirmed that the Q2 performance proves the model is “structurally healthier,” translating into stronger profitability thanks to improved unit economics and disciplined reward calibration. The adjusted EBITDA loss also improved by 79 per cent YoY, reaching US$(2.0) million.

Southeast Asia revenue collapses

The focus on profitability has come at a severe cost to key Southeast Asian revenue streams

Data reveals sharp contractions in regional markets:

• The Philippines: Revenue dropped dramatically by 42.2 per cent YoY, falling from US$2.938 million in Q2 2024 to just US$1.697 million in Q2 2025. The Philippines’ contribution to total revenue dropped from 14.2 per cent to 9.4 per cent.
• Taiwan: Revenue was nearly halved, contracting by 47 per cent YoY, falling from US$1.424 million to US$754 thousand.
• Malaysia: Revenue has effectively dried up, registering US$0 in Q2 2025, down from US$28 thousand a year prior. (MoneyHero does, however, retain an equity stake in the operator of RinggitPlus in Malaysia).

The group’s financial stability is now highly reliant on its two key hubs, Hong Kong and Singapore, which together accounted for 86.4 per cent of Q2 2025 total revenue (Hong Kong at 43.3 per cent and Singapore at 43.1 per cent).

Application volume tumbles despite membership rise

While the MoneyHero Group reported a 33 per cent YoY expansion in group members to 8.6 million, the platform’s actual transactional activity declined significantly, underscoring the shift away from high-volume, lower-margin business.

Total applications sourced by MoneyHero dropped by 14.3 per cent, falling from 476,000 in Q2 2024 to 408,000 in Q2 2025. Approved applications saw an even steeper decline, falling by 18 per cent YoY, from 211,000 to 173,000.

Also Read: Profitability gains mask deeper challenges for MoneyHero in Q4 2024

CEO Rohith Murthy noted that these movements were part of a disciplined effort, stating that AI initiatives are already reducing customer acquisition cost per approval and “improving approval quality”. However, the data confirms that fewer customers are successfully completing the application funnel, reflecting the “deliberate moderation of lower-margin credit card volumes”. Credit Cards still generate the vast majority of revenue (60.8 per cent of Q2 2025 revenue).

Unreliable traffic metrics mask true user engagement

A critical caveat buried within the financial report relates to operational data measurement. MoneyHero explicitly stated that due to Google’s mandatory transition from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which took effect on July 1, 2024, the key metrics of monthly unique users (MAUs), traffic, and clicks are “not comparable” to prior periods.

The company claims that Google has not provided sufficient information to assess this methodology transition’s positive or negative impact. This change means that the reported Q2 2025 MAUs (5.3 million) and total traffic (16.7 million) lack a reliable, verifiable year-on-year benchmark, making it impossible for the media to accurately assess the platform’s organic traffic stability prior to mid-2024.

Looking ahead, MoneyHero is strategically investing in higher-margin segments, including a planned launch of Hong Kong’s Credit Hero Club with TransUnion in Q4, with expected expansion into other markets. The company forecasts that Insurance and Wealth will comprise approximately 30 per cent of Group revenue by the end of 2025.

Management remains confident in achieving positive adjusted EBITDA in the later part of 2025, supported by the structural improvements reflected in their current numbers.

The post MoneyHero swings to profit, but only on cost cuts and FX gains appeared first on e27.

History shows that equities often deliver solid gains in the year following the start of such cycles, with the S&P 500 averaging around 14 per cent returns over 12 months based on past data from various cycles. Yet the initial month after the first cut tends to bring choppiness, as markets adjust to shifting monetary policy.

In this case, equities rallied strongly leading up to the cut, pushing the S&P 500 up 15 per cent in the past six months and a whopping 32 per cent from its yearly lows. I see this preemptive surge as a sign of market optimism, but it also raises flags for potential consolidation ahead.

Investors priced in these cuts long ago, so the real test comes from upcoming events like speeches from 10 FOMC governors and the PCE inflation report due on September 26. If inflation data surprises on the upside, volatility could spike, reminding everyone that even dovish Fed actions carry risks in an economy where growth projections and unemployment trends diverge sharply.

Fund managers’ bold bets on risk assets

Fund managers continue to lean heavily into risk assets, particularly equities, despite nagging worries about persistent inflation and a weakening US dollar. This positioning strikes me as bold, perhaps overly so, given the mixed signals from the broader economy. Many in the industry view artificial intelligence as a deflationary force that could counter current inflationary pressures, an idea that holds water when you consider how AI efficiencies might drive down costs in sectors like manufacturing and services.

Gold’s performance this year underscores these tensions, with prices surging 38 per cent year-to-date amid buoyant rate-cut expectations and geopolitical uncertainties. Research into recent gold price drivers points to factors like central bank buying, trade tensions, and lower interest rates making the metal more appealing as a hedge.

However, fund flows indicate much of this buying stems from speculation rather than genuine hedging, and professional asset managers maintain low exposure to gold and digital assets. In my view, this creates intriguing opportunities for savvy investors to buy on dips, especially as gold hit US$3685.30 per ounce recently. The under-allocation by institutions suggests room for further upside if economic headwinds intensify, but it also warns against chasing the rally without careful consideration.

Also Read: SGX tightens climate reporting rules, expands green products as sustainable finance demand grows

Balancing strategy: Barbell approach and diversification

Strategic advice in this environment boils down to respecting the Fed’s direction without blindly following the herd. The central bank’s dovish stance supports companies with strong earnings growth, yet piling into mega-cap tech stocks at current valuations feels precarious. A barbell approach makes sense here, where you hold core positions in quality names, add selectively during pullbacks, and diversify into global themes and yield-focused plays.

Singapore’s yield stocks stand out, having outperformed the S&P 500 over both five- and ten-year periods, which bolsters the argument for regional diversification beyond US borders. I favour this strategy because it balances growth potential with income stability, particularly in a world where US-centric portfolios risk overexposure to domestic policy shifts.

With the Fed projecting more cuts on October 29 and December 12, lower rates could fuel corporate borrowing and expansion, but diverging economic indicators demand vigilance. Unemployment might tick up if growth slows more than expected, potentially pressuring equities despite the supportive policy backdrop.

Macro shifts and geopolitical influences

Turning to the broader macro picture, global risk sentiment holds firm thanks to the allure of additional rate cuts enhancing corporate earnings outlooks. The week ahead features the high-level General Debate at the 80th UN General Assembly starting Tuesday, with President Trump addressing the opening session and Fed Chair Powell discussing the economic outlook. These events could inject fresh narratives into markets, especially amid positive developments in US-China relations.

President Trump’s recent conversation with Chinese leadership led to a deal on the popular Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, allowing it to continue operations in the US under new controls, which eased some trade anxieties. Wall Street responded enthusiastically, with major indices hitting record highs on Friday, the Dow Jones up 0.37 per cent, S&P 500 up 0.49 per cent, and Nasdaq up 0.72 per cent.

Treasury yields edged higher, the 10-year at 4.127 per cent and the 2-year at 3.572 per cent, reflecting a mix of growth optimism and inflation watchfulness. The dollar index climbed 0.30 per cent to 97.64, while gold rose 1.1 per cent on rate-cut bets. Brent crude dipped 1.1 per cent to US$66.68 per barrel following EU sanctions on Russian oil vessels and buyers, highlighting ongoing energy market fragilities. Asian equities showed mixed results Friday and in early trading today, with US futures pointing to a lower open, suggesting caution amid these crosscurrents.

Also Read: Trust, not just technology: What I learned building AI finance tools for SMEs in Southeast Asia

Bitcoin volatility and regulatory headwinds

Bitcoin’s recent dip adds another layer to the market mosaic, with the cryptocurrency falling 0.93 per cent to US$114,566 over the past 24 hours, lagging the broader crypto market’s 1.91 per cent decline. This underperformance stems from profit-taking after hitting recent highs, technical breakdowns near the US$115,400 resistance level, and regulatory uncertainties.

Drawing from similar patterns in September 2024 analyses, when Bitcoin traded around US$63,000 and faced consolidation phases, the current setup echoes familiar volatility drivers like leverage unwinds and momentum shifts. Over US$176 million in long positions were liquidated as prices tested US$115,000 support, amplifying the drop in a classic liquidity trap where open interest spiked 4.14 per cent to US$937 billion.

Traders piled in near resistance, only to face swift reversals, which I interpret as a healthy correction in an asset that has risen 81 per cent year-to-date. The failure to break above the 23.6 per cent Fibonacci retracement at US$115,400 triggered algorithmic selling, with the MACD histogram still positive at +265 but RSI hovering around 51-53, indicating waning momentum.

Bulls must secure a close above that level to reclaim initiative; otherwise, a breach of US$114,500, the 30-day simple moving average, could cascade toward US$110,000.

Regulatory developments weigh heavily on Bitcoin’s short-term path, presenting a neutral but noisy influence. The US Treasury’s commentary on the GENIUS Act, issued on September 20, emphasises stablecoin regulations requiring full reserves in liquid assets like Treasuries and technological capabilities for freezing assets, aiming to foster innovation while curbing risks. This act, signed into law earlier this year, mandates issuers to comply with federal laws, potentially stabilising the crypto ecosystem but introducing oversight that cools institutional enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, the EU’s MiCA regulation drives exchange consolidation, enforcing consumer protections, market integrity, and restrictions on stablecoin use as exchange mediums, which impacts global flows. Exchanges adapting to MiCA gain credibility and access to unified EU markets, but the compliance shifts have slowed inflows, with ETF volumes dipping and minor outflows from products like GBTC.

In my opinion, these headwinds represent growing pains for the sector; long-term clarity should prove bullish by attracting more institutional capital, yet the immediate uncertainty often halts rallies, as seen in past cycles.

Closing thoughts: Cautious optimism ahead

Overall, the market’s resilience amid the Fed’s pivot impresses me, but I remain cautious about overextended positions in tech and crypto. The historical precedent of positive equity returns post-rate cuts offers encouragement, yet the unique blend of geopolitical events like the UNGA, US-China thawing via the TikTok agreement, and persistent inflation worries calls for measured optimism. Gold’s speculative surge and Bitcoin’s technical wobbles serve as barometers for broader risk appetite, suggesting investors diversify thoughtfully.

The barbell strategy aligns with my view that quality growers paired with yield plays provide a sturdy foundation, especially as Singapore’s outperformance demonstrates the value of global exposure. With PCE data looming and more Fed cuts on the horizon, markets could consolidate, but the underlying dovish support tilts the scales toward gradual upside. Still, chasing crowds in mega-caps or digital assets without waiting for pullbacks risks unnecessary pain; patience often rewards in these environments.

As we head into the final quarter, keeping an eye on unemployment trends and corporate earnings will prove crucial, potentially defining whether this cycle mirrors the average 14 per cent gain or veers into choppier territory. The economy’s divergences remind us that while the Fed guides, real-world data ultimately steers the ship.

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Quantum is no longer confined to research labs; it’s edging into boardrooms, banks, and biopharma pipelines. Few investors grasp this transition as clearly as Alexandra Beckstein, CEO of QAI Ventures, which has chosen Singapore as its Asia-Pacific headquarters.

In this conversation, Beckstein unpacks why Singapore offers the right mix of policy, talent, and industry appetite to become a launchpad for quantum ventures, how lessons from Europe and North America are being adapted here, and why venture building could be the key to turning patents into profitable, globally competitive companies.

Why Singapore? Beyond the government’s strong quantum push, what specific gaps or opportunities did you see that drove QAI Ventures to set up its Asia-Pacific HQ here?

At QAI Ventures, we take a global approach to investing in quantum tech and advanced computing. Talent, technology, and applications are scarce and globally dispersed, so we continuously scout for emerging hubs that show strong signals of ecosystem maturity.

Singapore combines all the key ingredients: world-class universities, a robust IP regime, strong government commitment through its National Quantum Strategy, and clear industry momentum. A recent example is OCBC’s collaboration with NUS, NTU, and SMU to explore quantum applications in banking – a sector we consider a priority for early adoption.

QAI Ventures has had success in Europe and North America. What lessons from those ecosystems are you directly applying, or avoiding, in Singapore?

I would point out three lessons learnt from our previous work:

• Integration with the ecosystem is key: Success in Switzerland and Canada has shown us that tight integration with academia, startups, corporates, and investors is essential. We are bringing the same approach to Singapore.
• Our global approach in talent scouting and providing access is a core USP: We open our hubs internationally, attracting founders to where industry strengths lie. For example, North American teams join our Basel accelerator to access Europe’s life sciences ecosystem. Singapore offers the same draw for finance and industrials.
• Industry-driven focus pays off: We learned to prioritise verticals with early market fit. That’s why we’re concentrating on Finance, Industrials, and Life Sciences in Singapore, supported by initiatives like our GenQ Hackathon in October, where participants tackle SDG challenges at the intersection of these clusters.

Also Read: DigiCert CEO: Quantum computing’s “ChatGPT moment” is coming

In addition, we see venture building as a critical lever. Accelerator programmes focus on existing startups , but starting a venture building programme allows us to combine IP from Singapore’s research base with our database of over 2,000 quantum patents, so we can form globally competitive ventures here. That’s a new approach we bring to the market for the first time, and we chose Singapore as the first location to do so.

Quantum computing remains largely research-driven. What gives you confidence that quantum ventures in the city-state can move from labs to boardrooms faster than elsewhere?

Singapore has built one of the world’s most coordinated national quantum strategies, backed by long-term funding and public-private partnerships. As a financial and logistics hub, it provides immediate boardroom-level use cases in areas like fraud detection, risk modelling, and secure supply chains. The country’s regulatory clarity and strong IP protection make it easier for ventures to attract global investors and partners. Its compact ecosystem concentrates world-class talent and industry leaders in close proximity, shortening the path from research to pilots.

Combined with Singapore’s tradition of being a living lab for frontier technologies, this makes it uniquely positioned to move quantum ventures from lab to boardroom faster than elsewhere.

Many quantum startups face long commercialisation cycles. How will your venture building programme accelerate research into profitable, globally competitive businesses?

Our unique strength is being an ecosystem builder. We limit each cohort to six founder teams to ensure tailored mentoring, close sparring, and strong connections to corporates, investors, and industry experts.

Quantum startups often face long commercialisation cycles because the leap from lab to market requires both deeptech and industry validation. Our programme shortens that path by pairing researchers with experienced entrepreneurs, industry partners, and early adopters from day one. We focus on market-driven use cases in finance, pharma, logistics, and cybersecurity, ensuring the science is steered toward real customer pain points. With structured support in IP strategy, regulatory readiness, and fundraising, we help teams de-risk their journey and attract global capital faster.

Ultimately, the programme transforms cutting-edge research into profitable, globally competitive businesses by combining scientific excellence with commercial execution.

Which sectors in Singapore (finance, life sciences, industrials) do you see as the first real adopters of QuantumAI?

We see strong potential across all three of them: finance, life sciences, and industrials:

In Singapore, the finance sector is expected to be the first real adopter of QuantumAI. Banks such as HSBC and DBS are already exploring quantum-secure communications and advanced risk modelling, and the potential to apply QuantumAI to fraud detection or faster Monte Carlo simulations for portfolio optimisation makes adoption both commercially attractive and regulatorily relevant.

The life sciences industry is also well-positioned, given Singapore’s ambition to be a global biomedical hub. QuantumAI could accelerate drug discovery by simulating complex molecules far beyond the reach of today’s supercomputers, similar to the recent collaboration between Moderna and IBM on mRNA structure modelling and support precision medicine through the analysis of genomic data.

Finally, industrials and logistics form a natural testbed: the Port of Singapore and Changi Airport already lead globally in digitalisation and are experimenting with quantum-secure networks, as seen in the Port of Rotterdam’s scalable quantum internet pilot.

These examples show how Singapore can move quickly from research to real-world adoption, with finance likely leading, life sciences close behind, and logistics providing large-scale, operational deployments.

Given the competition from other hubs like Tokyo, Sydney, and Hong Kong, what will it take for Singapore to stay ahead?

To stay ahead in a region full of innovation leaders, Singapore must build on its strengths while learning from peers like Tokyo, Sydney, and Hong Kong.

Tokyo brings world-class corporate R&D and long-standing leadership in advanced materials and electronics, while Sydney excels in academic research and deep science talent. Hong Kong continues to serve as a vital financial gateway to China and a bridge to mainland innovation.

Also Read: Quantum computing’s double-edged sword could threaten cybersecurity: Report

Singapore differentiates itself by combining regulatory clarity, strong IP protection, and political stability with dense connectivity between finance, biotech, and logistics industries, all within a compact, highly international ecosystem. Unlike Tokyo, which has deep corporate R&D but slower commercialisation cycles, Singapore’s public-private partnerships allow startups to move from pilot to market much faster. Compared to Sydney’s academic strength, Singapore offers direct access to global banks, biotech multinationals, and world-leading logistics hubs like its port and airport. And while Hong Kong positions itself as a financial hub for China, Singapore has established itself as a trusted global hub with deep international connectivity.

By fostering collaboration across these hubs rather than competition, and by staying true to its tradition as a living lab for frontier technologies like QuantumAI, Singapore can remain the launchpad where global startups and local founders test, scale, and commercialise world-class innovations.

Venture capital in quantum is risky, with some saying it is even speculative. What’s your investment thesis in terms of risk appetite and expected time horizons for returns?

QuantumAI is a frontier field, and risk and opportunity go hand in hand. Our investment thesis is built on de-risking for LPs with a two-sided approach:

With our early-stage fund, we combine capital with our accelerator programme, providing structured mentoring, industry integration, and global exposure to improve market fit and increase survival rates.

With our growth-stage fund, we invest in companies already generating revenue, operating in markets on the cusp of adoption, and with clear exit pathways through M&A or IPO. We believe the next three to four years offer a rare window of opportunity in QuantumAI. Growth-stage investments allow shorter holding periods, faster ROI, and multiple exit options due to strong M&A appetite for IP-rich companies.

At the same time, we don’t just wait for deal flow: through venture building, we create companies from scratch by combining strong IP with entrepreneurial teams. This puts us in a unique position to shape the ecosystem, reduce risk, and capture upside across stages.

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Indonesia is positioning itself as a major player in the global clean energy transition, with a national strategy that places batteries and electric vehicles (EVs) at its core. The government’s approach combines ambitious adoption targets, downstream industrialisation, and foreign investment. But as Prof. Dr Evvy Kartini, founder of the National Battery Research Institute (NBRI) and professor at the National Research Innovation Agency (BRIN), explains in an email interview with e27, the path forward remains complex.

Indonesia’s efforts to promote EV adoption date back to a 2019 presidential regulation. The regulation set out bold 2030 targets: 14 million electric two-wheelers and 4 million electric four-wheelers. These commitments align with the country’s pledge to the Paris Agreement.

Yet, progress has been slower than anticipated. “Though the number of EV products sold increased twice this year, [it is] still below one million,” Prof. Dr Kartini says. She points to persistent barriers, including high costs compared with internal combustion cars and limited infrastructure. “The infrastructure of charging stations or swap stations, as well as the standardisation and safety, are still a concern in Indonesia.”

Government incentives, such as tax exemptions, have been introduced to spur demand, but the gap between targets and reality highlights the scale of the challenge.

Downstreaming nickel for strategic advantage

Indonesia’s new administration has placed industrial downstreaming at the centre of its energy and economic strategy. Under its “Asta Cita” or eight-vision framework, the fifth vision is dedicated to expanding value-added industries. Nickel, which Indonesia holds the world’s largest reserves of, is at the heart of this plan.

Also Read: Tiger New Energy raises US$3.5M to accelerate deployment of its battery swapping network

“With this vision, we expect that the ‘nickel’, for example… could be processed to become not only Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) but also the battery precursors and cathode materials in Indonesia,” Prof. Dr Kartini explains.

With vast nickel reserves, Indonesia is investing in EVs and batteries to boost its role in Asia’s clean energy future.  The government has already opened investment in upstream and midstream industries, and a gigawatt-hour (GWh) battery factory project broke ground in June. It is led by a consortium of state-owned miner ANTAM, the Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL/CBL).

The professor, who recently spoke at Thailand’s 3rd ASEAN Battery Technology Conference 2025, argues that this will create a more efficient supply chain. “The existence of a battery factory with supply chains from Indonesia will reduce the cost of production,” she says.

Despite these opportunities, Prof. Dr Kartini cautions against potential mismatches between policy plans and industry realities. She cites the ongoing debate between lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery chemistries as a possible stumbling block.

“The issue of using LFP instead of NMC for the EV may become the burden for this program,” she says.

The government risks undermining its nickel-centred industrial policy without precise regulation or incentives favouring nickel-based EVs.

Innovation and sustainability

Prof. Dr Kartini sees technological innovation and sustainability as essential for the industry’s long-term viability. “The innovation in the battery industry is finding a material that can provide higher energy density and a larger capacity. [It must also be] lightweight but with high power density and fast charging. It should be friendly to the user and the environment and safe to use,” she says.

Also Read: Transitioning to new energy? Here’re 5 prominent solutions for your business

She also stresses the importance of circular economy practices, particularly battery recycling. “The circular economy, such as the reuse and recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries, must be carried out; do not wait until it burdens the environment and society at the end,” she warns.

Indonesia’s trajectory has attracted significant foreign investment across the battery value chain. Prof Dr Kartini points to progress across all stages: upstream mining, midstream battery manufacturing, and downstream applications in EVs and renewable energy. “Indonesia has already reached a milestone and will become the largest battery producer through the consortium of ANTAM-IBC-CBL,” she says.

With its domestic market and regional links, Indonesia is well-positioned to play a central role in Asia’s EV sector. She predicts that four-wheeler EVs, particularly affordable imports from China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, will dominate soon.

However, the success of this plan depends on whether regulatory clarity, infrastructure investment, and technological innovation can keep pace with targets. Realising Indonesia’s vision will require alignment between government, industry, and innovation: “Otherwise, it will be very difficult in the end to penetrate the market.”

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Image Credit: ABTC 2025

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In a sunlit conference room in San Francisco, a group of developers huddle over a table scattered with phones, tablets, and laptops. The air is electric with possibility, but tinged with frustration. One device keeps lagging, another refuses to load the demo. The problem isn’t the code. It’s the connection.

“We’ve optimised everything,” one engineer mutters, thumbing through logs. “But when the signal drops, the whole thing falls apart.”

Welcome to the fragile reality of AI on mobile.

Despite astonishing leaps in generative AI (image generation, natural language interfaces, and real-time summarisation) the entire experience often hinges on a single, outdated assumption: that the user is always connected to the cloud. As AI continues to embed itself deeper into our daily lives, from customer support to healthcare diagnostics to personal assistants, that assumption is becoming less and less viable.

The next frontier of AI isn’t in bigger models or smarter prompts. It’s in bringing intelligence closer to the user: physically. And that means rethinking where data lives, how it moves, and what happens when the cloud is simply out of reach.

Cloud can’t keep up

To understand the shift, start with how most AI systems currently operate. When you open a chatbot on your phone or ask your smart assistant a question, the request typically travels across the internet to a cloud server where the large language model (LLM) processes the input, consults relevant databases, and sends a response back.

This setup works beautifully when bandwidth is strong, latency is low, and privacy isn’t a concern.

But increasingly, those conditions don’t hold.

Users are demanding smarter apps that work offline, in real-time, without sacrificing responsiveness or control. They expect AI to assist them on subways, in rural areas, on factory floors, and in high-security environments where external data connections are limited or forbidden. And they expect it to do so while preserving data privacy and ensuring low power consumption on resource-constrained devices.

The cloud, once the crown jewel of modern computing, is beginning to look like a bottleneck.

Also Read: From village to cloud: Why public-private partnerships hold the key to inclusive tech in SEA

On-device AI is ready—almost

Technically, we’re closer than ever to running real AI locally.

Thanks to advances in quantisation, pruning, and specialised silicon—such as Apple’s Neural Engine, Google’s Tensor SoC, and Qualcomm’s AI chips—it’s now possible to run compressed versions of LLMs directly on mobile hardware. Models like Phi-2, LLaMA, and Gemma have been distilled to sizes small enough to live on-device and still perform impressively on many natural language tasks.

But here’s the kicker: AI doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Models need data. They need context. And they need it fast.

Without local access to relevant, real-time data (user preferences, recent activity, stored documents, or business-critical information) the model may be running on your device, but it’s still blind. That’s the paradox. We’ve brought the brain to the edge, but not the memory.

The data problem at the edge

Imagine a travel assistant that knows your itinerary, hotel reservations, and preferences. You’re in a taxi in Rome, with no Wi-Fi, and you ask for a dinner recommendation near your hotel. The model runs on your phone, but the hotel address? That’s stored in the cloud. Without it, the AI draws a blank.

Or take a field medic using an AI tool to interpret patient data in a disaster zone. The model is on the device, but if the patient records are locked in a remote database, the application fails at the moment it’s needed most.

The problem isn’t just about fetching data, either. It’s more about ensuring that the data is accurate, synchronised, and secure, across millions of devices, many of which may be offline for hours or days at a time. Data has to move intelligently between the cloud and the edge, updating incrementally, resolving conflicts, and maintaining integrity without draining battery life or compromising privacy.

Solving this data mobility challenge is the linchpin to unlocking AI’s full potential on mobile.

Also Read: Singapore hit by 6.4M cyberattacks in 2024 as AI supercharges threats

Rethinking infrastructure for AI at the edge

What’s needed now is a new kind of infrastructure, one that treats data like a living, breathing entity that must exist both on the device and in the cloud, capable of thriving in both connected and disconnected environments.

This means:

• Offline-first design: AI apps must function even without a network. No fallback mode. Full functionality, even in airplane mode.
• Bidirectional sync: Changes made on-device should sync back seamlessly once a connection returns, without data loss or duplication.
• Latency-free access: Models must be able to query data at memory speed, not over-the-air latency, especially during inference.
• Security and privacy at the core: Sensitive information should never leave the device without explicit consent and encryption.
• Scalability across fleets: Whether it’s 100 or 10 million devices, the system must keep them in sync, without micromanagement.

In short, the backend of AI needs to evolve, away from centralised architectures and toward distributed, intelligent data systems purpose-built for the edge.

A future that’s closer than it looks

We are entering a phase where the intelligence is not just in the cloud, not just in the model, but in the choreography between device, data, and environment.

AI that truly feels human, i.e. contextual, responsive, and always available, will not be achieved through brute compute or bigger models. It will come from systems designed to operate at the speed of thought, wherever that thought occurs, and regardless of whether a signal bar is present.

The future of AI on mobile will not be replacing the cloud, but rather liberating the user from it.

And that future is already starting to take shape. Quietly. Locally. One intelligent, offline interaction at a time.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

Enjoyed this read? Don’t miss out on the next insight. Join our WhatsApp channel for real-time drops.

Image courtesy of the author.

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