The once distinct lines between creator, player, and entrepreneur are dissolving into something new that fundamentally restructures how value is created and captured in the gaming ecosystem.

Gaming began as a subversive tool for consumption where value flowed one way from player to publisher, enabling publishers to build massive empires.

Esports was the first revolution that shook up this structure and allowed a microscopic segment of players to monetise their skills. However, of the over three billion global gamers in the ecosystem, only 15,000 can earn a sustainable living through competitive play, and even fewer earn the equivalent of a “professional athlete‘s” salary. 

Streaming was the second uprising that allowed over 9.2 million active streamers and gamers to find a path to monetisation. Yet the economics remain brutal, with only the top 10 per cent able to earn well. The platform-dependent revenue model, reliant on subscriptions, tips, and ads, means most operate on economic margins thinner than graphene.

We now stand at a more significant threshold with AI that doesn’t just add another revenue stream to the existing ecosystem—it rewrites the fundamental relationship between creation, distribution, and monetisation in gaming. These are encapsulated in the three phases of AI-powered gaming entrepreneurs.

Phase 1: Asset creation and community building

For the 95 per cent of streamers who struggle with differentiation and asset creation, AI offers immediate relief. The data is clear, 82 per cent of streamers report difficulties in creating unique visual assets for their brand and content, while 74 per cent struggle to maintain consistent creative output alongside their streaming schedules.

AI asset generation solves both a production and economic problem. Streamers who incorporate real-time audience participation through interactive content show 68 per cent higher viewer retention. When AI enables streamers to generate assets based on viewer input in real-time, the para-social becomes genuinely collaborative.

This shift has already begun. The most successful creators aren’t just playing games—they’re creating within them, building distinctive visual identities and interactive experiences that transform passive viewers into active participants.

Also Read: How sailing as a teenager prepared me for a career in tech and gaming

Phase 2: Monetisation through platform ecosystems

As streamers build communities around their AI-enhanced content, the next logical step is direct monetisation of their creations within existing game ecosystems.

The platforms are already massive, with Roblox has reaching 82.9 million daily active users and creator payouts hitting US$923 million in 2024 alone.  What’s more telling is the distribution, 20,000 qualifying Roblox creators earned an average of US$46,150 each.

Compare this to streaming, where only 23 per cent of streamers use sponsorships, and just 18 per cent sell merchandise. The User Generated Content (UGC) economy represents a significant expansion of monetisation potential, yet only four per cent of streamers currently tap into digital asset sales. This gap between current utilisation and market potential won’t last.

The successful transition from streamer to platform creator doesn’t mean abandoning streaming, it’s the opposite. Streamers who involve their communities in content creation see over three times the engagement and create a virtuous cycle where streaming builds audience, audience provides feedback on creations, creations generate revenue, and revenue enables more streaming.

Phase 3: Independent development and gaming entrepreneurship

The final phase, with the most transformative potential, is independent game development enabled by AI.

The economics of traditional game development have become increasingly punitive and unsustainable. Development costs for major titles doubled to US$200 million between console generations. Marketing costs frequently exceed development budgets. The barrier to entry isn’t just high—it’s stratospheric.

AI tools fundamentally changes this equation by reducing art production costs by more than half, automatically optimising code, and generating vast game worlds through procedural systems. The capital requirements for game development has decreased by orders of magnitude.

This democratisation creates an unprecedented advantage for creators who’ve cultivated loyal communities. Those who build dedicated followings through streaming and UGC gain the ability to sell complete games directly to an established audience. The model mirrors independent music artists who spend years building fan bases before selling out concerts and releasing albums that they own the rights to—keeping the vast majority of revenue instead of settling for industry-standard royalties. When a streamer with 100,000 followers releases their own game, they’re not starting from zero—they’re launching with a pre-built audience, distribution channel, and feedback mechanism already in place.

Also Read: Blockchain gaming trends in Asia: here’s what you need to know

For entrepreneurs building at this intersection of AI, UGC, and streaming, the potential extends beyond just making games. They’re building economic systems—places where value is created, exchanged, and captured continuously rather than in single transactions.

Why this time is different

We have seen democratisation promises before, game engines became more accessible and distribution platforms open up. Yet the gap between amateurs and professionals remain vast.

The AI difference does not just lower barriers, it actively allows collaborations. It does not just make tools more accessible, it augments human creativity in ways that fundamentally change what is possible for a small team or even an individual.

The integration of AI creation tools is rapidly erasing the distinction between professional and amateur content. The successful gaming entrepreneurs of tomorrow will not be those with the largest teams or development budgets, they will be those who best leverage AI to amplify their creative vision and community engagement.

For several years, the gaming industry has undergone a quiet restructuring. The development costs for AAA titles have become unsustainable, while user acquisition costs have risen 45 per cent year-on-year in mature markets, and the return on ad spend have declined by 30 per cent since 2021.     

These economic pressures create the perfect conditions for AI-powered disruption, and the platforms sensing this shift are already making their moves. Roblox nearly tripled creator payouts since 2022, Epic has been refining engagement-based payouts in Fortnite Creative, and major modding platforms have experienced download growth of over 40 per cent. 

The gaming entrepreneurs who will dominate the next decade are already building their communities. These are the streamers with 100 to 1,000 concurrent viewers who recognise that engagement is more valuable than pure reach, and these are the rising creators who see AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a force multiplier for it.

The path from player to professional and to entrepreneur is not just possible, but inevitable for those who recognise what’s happening. The game has changed. The only question is who will play it best.

—

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In a historic shift for Southeast Asia’s tech sector, the crown for the most funded industry has changed hands.

Enterprise infrastructure has emerged as the top-performing sector, raising a total of US$2.3 billion in 2025. According to the “SEA Tech Annual Funding Report 2025” by Tracxn, this represents a robust 70 per cent increase over the US$1.3 billion raised in 2024 and an incredible 12x increase from the US$182 million raised in 2023.

Also Read: Southeast Asia’s startup boom is becoming a closed club

The driving force behind this infrastructure boom is the region’s hunger for digital storage and processing power. Data centre providers alone accounted for US$1.9 billion of the sector’s total, led by massive rounds for Princeton Digital Group and Digital Edge. Investors are pivoting away from application-layer software and toward the physical and cloud-based foundations that allow the broader digital economy to function.

While infrastructure soared, the region’s traditional darling, fintech, faced significant headwinds. The sector saw total funding drop to US$1.5 billion, a 21 per cent decrease from 2024 and a 42 per cent collapse from the US$2.6 billion raised in 2023. Despite this decline, the vertical remains a core pillar of the ecosystem, with internet-first business payments and internet-first remittance platforms like Airwallex and Thunes still managing to attract significant late-stage capital.

The enterprise applications sector also struggled to maintain momentum, raising US$1.42 billion in 2025. This reflects a 38 per cent decline compared to the US$2.3 billion raised the previous year. It appears that the era of speculative investment in “software-as-a-service” (SaaS) platforms is being replaced by a more pragmatic focus on “hard” tech and the AI-ready infrastructure required for the next decade of growth.

Also Read: Jakarta trails as Singapore tightens its grip on tech capital

Investors are essentially moving from building the fancy rooms of the digital house to investing in the steel and concrete of the foundation itself

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At the end of 2025, I took on a new project: joining a startup team to launch a cruise ship.

On paper, it sounded exciting. In reality, it was one of the most uncomfortable, demanding, and emotionally intense experiences I’ve had in my career. And one that reshaped how I think about work, people, and building from the ground up, pushing me far beyond my comfort zone.

For the first time, I found myself working closely with people from vastly different backgrounds — marine engineers, F&B operators, IT teams, sales and commercial leads, gaming specialists, terminal officials, ferry operators, distributors, marketing teams, crew members, and front-of-house staff. Everyone spoke a different “language,” came with different priorities, and operated under very different constraints.

If my earlier roles helped me enter the startup world, this project dropped me straight into the deep ocean. No floaties. No shallow end.

There were days when frustration turned into tears. There were moments when exhaustion blurred judgment. But there were also moments of clarity — when you see real impact happening in real time, and you realise you’re building something that didn’t exist before.

This is the side of startups we don’t romanticise enough.

When things break, results matter more than procedures

In theory, startups talk about processes, workflows, and frameworks. In reality, when things go wrong — and they often do —  no one asks for the SOP first.

They ask: Can we fix this? And how fast?

This project gave me a full taste of what “results-oriented” really means. When a problem escalates, the priority isn’t whether the issue fits neatly into a process. It’s about ownership, speed, and outcomes. You do what needs to be done, figure out the documentation later, and move forward.

That doesn’t mean procedures are unimportant but in the heat of execution, adaptability beats perfection every time.

Also Read: Why AI startups across Southeast Asia are shipping themselves into churn

SOPs matter, but everything changes in a heartbeat

Yes, startups need SOPs. Especially when safety, compliance, and customer experience are involved.

But startups are also living systems. Things shift constantly — partners change requirements, customers behave unexpectedly, resources tighten, and timelines move overnight. What made sense in the morning may be outdated by the afternoon.

What really matters is how you keep the team moving forward with the right spirit, while juggling customer complaints, management scrutiny, partner constraints, and limited resources — all at once.

One lesson that stuck with me: don’t use an AM mindset to judge a PM situation. Context changes. Decisions need to adapt to it.

There is hierarchy, but courtesy matters more

When things move fast, it’s easy to become laser-focused on execution and forget that every person involved has their own role, responsibility, and pressure.

In startups, you often ask for help that sits right at the edge of someone else’s scope. Sometimes beyond it. That’s when gratitude matters most.

Never take support for granted — whether it comes from a junior crew member or a senior leader, a partner team or a “sister” department. A simple “please” or “thank you” goes further than most people realise, especially under pressure.

Speed does not excuse a lack of respect.

Your job title should never limit your contribution

In a real startup, job titles are guidelines at best.

On this project, everyone did a bit of everything. That doesn’t mean you personally execute every task with your own hands, but it does mean you own the problem until the loop is properly closed.

Sometimes that means finding the right person. Sometimes it means unblocking someone else. Sometimes it means stepping in temporarily, even if it’s not “your job.”

Startups reward people who go beyond defined lanes — not because they are overworked, but because they care about outcomes.

Also Read: How startups and VCs can propel Indonesia’s energy transition

Corporate vs startup: know what you’re signing up for

This journey is very different from the corporate world. Neither is better, but they are not the same.

If you’re considering joining a startup, here are a few signs to check within yourself first:

• Be ready for work that was never mentioned in your job description and often has nothing to do with your title.
  
• Learn to be a problem solver, not someone who hides behind procedures or waits for perfect clarity.
  
• Build resilience. Frustration, criticism, repetition, and emotional swings are part of the package. You fall, you stand up, and you keep going because you know you’re building something bigger with people from all walks of life.

Startups are not glamorous most of the time. They are messy, demanding, and deeply human.

But if you stay long enough, they shape you in ways no classroom or corporate training ever could.

Enjoy building — and get stronger while crushing problems along the way.

In the end, cruising the startup ocean is about learning to build without a playbook and becoming more adaptable with every wave you face.

—

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Anthropic, the fast-rising artificial intelligence (AI) startup behind the Claude chatbot, is in talks to raise up to US$10 billion in fresh funding at a valuation of around US$350 billion, says a Wall Street Journal report, citing sources.

The proposed financing round is expected to be led by Coatue Management alongside GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, with participation from existing shareholders. The discussions come amid growing speculation that Anthropic could pursue an initial public offering within the next 12 to 18 months, as leading AI players race to secure ever-larger capital war chests.

AI investment boom intensifies

The potential deal underscores the relentless investment momentum surrounding generative AI, even as concerns mount over frothy valuations and the long-term economics of AI businesses. Developing large-scale AI models is notoriously expensive, requiring massive investments in computing power, energy, and specialised data centre infrastructure.

Also Read: OpenAI announces Singapore expansion amid doubling of ChatGPT users

Anthropic’s prospective valuation would place it among the world’s most valuable private companies, trailing only a handful of AI rivals. In December, OpenAI announced a US$41 billion investment from Softbank and is currently valued at US$500 billion, while Elon Musk’s xAI announced on January 6 that it had raised US$20 billion, reportedly valuing the company at over US$230 billion.

A safety-first AI challenger

Anthropic was established with a strong emphasis on AI safety and alignment, and is structured as a public benefit corporation, committing it to public and social good alongside commercial returns. That positioning has resonated with deep-pocketed investors. In 2024, Anthropic raised US$8 billion from Amazon, its largest investor to date. Google has invested approximately US$3 billion and controls around 14 per cent of the company, according to court documents cited by The New York Times.

In total, Anthropic has raised at least US$40 billion in funding, according to PitchBook data. The company’s previous funding round closed in September at a valuation of US$183 billion, while Microsoft and Nvidia later announced plans to collectively invest around US$15 billion.

GIC’s strategic bet on responsible AI

GIC’s involvement reflects its growing conviction that AI represents a foundational economic transformation, rather than a short-term technology cycle. Sources familiar with its thinking say the sovereign fund is particularly drawn to Anthropic’s focus on reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems, which it views as essential for long-term enterprise adoption.

Rather than chasing hype-driven valuations, GIC is said to be taking a valuation-sensitive approach across the AI value chain, targeting enablers, monetisers, and adopters that can deliver sustainable economic impact. Its backing of Anthropic builds on earlier investments, including participation in the startup’s US$13 billion Series F round.

Also Read: Anthropic index shows AI boom risks widening global inequality

Notably, GIC has no public equity investments in OpenAI, despite the latter establishing Singapore as its Asia-Pacific headquarters. While OpenAI counts Microsoft, Nvidia, and other global players among its backers, GIC’s stake in Anthropic gives Singapore direct exposure to a safety-focused AI leader, rather than just an operational presence.

Massive infrastructure ambitions

As Anthropic pushes to commercialise its AI models for enterprises and consumers, its capital needs are ballooning. The company is spending tens of billions of dollars on the data centre infrastructure required to train and run advanced AI systems.

Late last year, Anthropic announced plans to invest US$50 billion in data centres across Texas and New York in partnership with cloud provider Fluidstack, though it has not detailed how the project will be financed. The startup is also purchasing vast amounts of computing power from Amazon and Google.

One of its most ambitious projects is a massive Amazon data centre in New Carlisle, Indiana, where Anthropic will be the primary customer. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to consume 2.2 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power around one million homes.

Implications for Southeast Asia

GIC’s potential investment could have meaningful spillover effects for Singapore and Southeast Asia’s AI ecosystem. Market observers say it may accelerate Anthropic’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, boost local hiring, and deepen partnerships with regional enterprises.

The move also reinforces Singapore’s position as a leading AI hub. The city-state is home to 80 of the world’s top 100 technology firms, has attracted US$1.6 billion in AI funding, and continues to promote responsible AI through initiatives such as AI Singapore. The country’s AI market is projected to grow 28 per cent to reach US$4.64 billion by 2030, underpinned by strong governance frameworks and public-private collaboration.

Also Read: Anthropic data shows businesses use AI to automate, not collaborate

For Southeast Asia’s broader startup ecosystem, GIC’s backing of Anthropic sends a clear signal: capital is increasingly flowing toward foundational, safety-conscious AI infrastructure, marking a shift from speculative software bets to the core systems powering the next decade of digital growth.

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Anthropic’s latest funding talks mark more than just another eye-popping valuation in the global AI race — they signal a deeper shift in how capital is being deployed into the sector, and why Singapore increasingly matters in that equation.

With GIC emerging as a key backer at a reported US$350B valuation, the deal underscores a growing preference for foundational, safety-first AI infrastructure over speculative application-layer bets. At a time when generative AI enthusiasm risks outrunning economic reality, Anthropic’s positioning as a public benefit corporation focused on alignment and enterprise reliability offers investors a narrative anchored in durability rather than hype.

For Singapore, GIC’s involvement delivers strategic relevance beyond headlines. Unlike OpenAI’s regional footprint in the city-state, this move provides direct equity exposure to a frontier AI company shaping global standards around safety, governance, and large-scale deployment. It strengthens Singapore’s role not merely as an operational hub, but as a capital allocator influencing how AI evolves.

The scale of Anthropic’s ambitions — from multibillion-dollar data centre investments to energy-intensive compute partnerships — also highlights a broader truth: AI leadership will be determined as much by infrastructure discipline as by model breakthroughs.

As global investors pivot from “fancy rooms” to the steel and concrete of AI’s foundations, Southeast Asia, backed by long-term capital and regulatory clarity, is positioning itself firmly in the next chapter of the AI economy.

REGIONAL

Why GIC is backing Anthropic over OpenAI: Rather than chasing hype-driven valuations, GIC is said to be taking a valuation-sensitive approach across the AI value chain, targeting enablers, monetisers, and adopters that can deliver sustainable economic impact.

X faces possible sanctions as Indonesia tightens AI rules: An investigation has been launched into the alleged misuse of Grok AI over concerns that it is being used to generate and distribute immoral content, including manipulated personal photos created without consent.

Southeast Asia’s startup boom is becoming a closed club: The number of companies receiving their first round of capital fell 62%, from 283 in 2024 to just 107 in 2025. Investors are clearly operating with a “flight to quality” mindset, favouring companies with clear paths to profitability and established market presence.

Indonesia’s crypto trading hits US$28.6B in 2025: The country’s Financial Services Authority said the number of registered cryptocurrency consumers rose to 19.6M in November 2025, up 2.5% from October. Cryptocurrency transaction value in December 2025 fell 12.2% to US$2B, compared to November.

Jakarta trails as Singapore tightens its grip on tech capital: Singapore’s US$4.7B haul dwarfed Jakarta and regional peers as late stage mega rounds reshaped funding flows. Jakarta, traditionally the second powerhouse of the region, trailed far behind with just US$212M, representing a mere 4% of the total funding pool.

8×8 acquires Maven Lab, signals shift beyond SMS in Southeast Asia: Maven Lab is best known for its solution-based messaging platforms, including Moobidesk, which enable enterprises to deploy high-volume communications quickly and efficiently across regulated markets.

FEATURES & INTERVIEWS

Infrastructure takes the throne in SEA tech: Enterprise infrastructure has emerged as the top-performing sector, raising a total of US$2.3B in 2025. As per a Tracxn report, this represents a robust 70% increase over the US$1.3B raised in 2024 and a 12x increase from the US$182M raised in 2023.

Pandai’s low-cost growth playbook puts the edutech startup on LSE’s 100x Impact radar: Pandai is selected for 100x Impact, an initiative that identifies high-impact organisations with the potential to improve the lives of one billion.

Wallets, not smart contracts, were crypto’s biggest risk in 2025:  The dominance of the Bybit breach highlights how failures in custody infrastructure can lead to substantial losses, even as decentralised protocols adopt more robust security frameworks.

INTERNATIONAL

Musk’s xAI reports US$1.5B net loss in Q3: The company’s revenue nearly doubled quarter-over-quarter to US$107M for the three months ended September 30, 2025, but sales still trail its annual target of US$500M. xAI spent US$7.8B in cash in the first nine months of 2025, mainly on data centres, talent, and software development.

Global enterprises shift AI strategies from cost savings to growth, study finds: Optimism is strongest in India and Brazil, where almost half of leaders expect more than 15% growth within five years. Germany and Australia remain more cautious, reflecting uneven maturity in AI strategies across regions.

Razorpay reportedly plans US$500M IPO: The Indian digital payments firm was last valued at US$7.5B after raising US$375M in 2021 and counts GIC, Peak XV Partners, Z47, and Tiger Global as investors. The public issue may launch by year-end, but the timing and final amount could change.

UK watchdog says Grok allegedly made illegal images: The watchdog IWF said the images meet the threshold for criminal action under UK law. These images, allegedly produced using the Grok Imagine tool, were later processed using another AI tool to create more extreme content, including graphic video.

SEMICONDUCTOR

Thailand enters the chip race, without challenging Singapore head-on: At its core is an ambition to reposition the country as a critical node in the regional and global chip supply chain, moving decisively beyond basic assembly into design-led and upstream manufacturing.

China memory chip prices surge on global supply crunch: Merchants at Huaqiangbei, a major electronics market in Shenzhen, said memory chip prices have sharply increased since late 2025, with DDR5 server memory sticks from Samsung and SK Hynix reaching over US$5,700 each.

India, Nvidia in talks on sovereign GPU development: The discussions also included edge computing systems such as Nvidia’s DGX Spark, which is designed for AI apps and can operate without internet connectivity. The talks focused on supporting secure AI model inferencing for use in sectors like railways, healthcare, and education.

Qualcomm in talks with Samsung over 2-nm chip production: The US chipmaker’s CEO Cristiano Amon reportedly said discussions are ongoing with Samsung, among other foundry firms, for contract manufacturing, with design work reportedly completed for upcoming commercialisation.

Naver builds AI computing cluster using 4,000 Nvidia GPUs: The company said the new “B200 4K cluster” will support the development of its proprietary foundation models and the broader application of AI technologies. Naver said the cluster offers computing performance comparable to the world’s top 500 supercomputers.

AI

SEA consumers demand AI that connects, not just computes: Southeast Asia’s AI adoption is accelerating, but consumers demand human-led experiences, pushing businesses to blend automation with empathy, speed, and personalisation to stay competitive.

AI human hybrid support: Why customers still prefer real conversations: Hybrid customer support blends AI efficiency with human empathy, cutting costs while preserving trust, loyalty, and satisfaction by ensuring speed for routine issues and people for complex, emotional interactions worldwide.

Why many seniors hold back from AI and how we can help them begin: Older adults fear embarrassment, not technology. Learning AI requires psychological safety, patience, and small wins that rebuild confidence, curiosity, and intergenerational connection through participation, not perfection.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Singapore’s next digital leap: From connected infrastructure to intelligent ecosystems: Singapore’s digital infrastructure is evolving from connectivity backbone to intelligent ecosystem driving resilience, innovation, and business transformation.

Cruising the startup ocean: Building without a playbook: Joining a startup to launch a cruise ship revealed the unromantic reality of startups: intense pressure, blurred roles, constant adaptation, and human resilience shaping leaders far beyond comfort zones daily.

Altcoin season 2.0: Smaller rallies, bigger fundamentals, better returns: Altcoin markets are maturing as institutional capital, narrative-driven cycles, and real utility replace indiscriminate speculation, rewarding selective projects with strong fundamentals, scalable infrastructure, regulatory awareness, and measurable adoption.

The freelance economy 2.0: In the age of AI: Asia’s freelance economy is entering a third, AI-driven wave where creatives evolve into idea architects, adopting new skills and revenue models, blending insight with AI to compete on value globally.

Creativity at the heart of business growth: As consumer behaviour shifts toward emotion-led purchasing, brands must embrace creative, content-driven commerce, blending entertainment, authenticity, and technology to build trust, drive engagement, and unlock growth opportunities.

How to navigate through the vast opportunities in the finance industry: Singapore’s finance industry has transformed through digitalisation, shifting investor demographics and fintech innovation, forcing institutions to blend high-tech platforms with human trust, continuous learning and client-centric services to remain competitive.

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Across Southeast Asia, food delivery has become a staple of daily life: convenient, fast, and deeply ingrained in urban culture. While the global appetite for food delivery apps is winding down, Asia Pacific (APAC) is bucking the trend.

Data shows that despite a worldwide drop of 41 per cent in the first half of 2025, APAC  emerged as a rare bright spot, with installs rising 30 per cent year-over-year (YoY). Users in the region also spent more time on these apps, with average YoY session durations increasing from 12.13 to 13.76 minutes. 

This momentum is especially clear in fast-growing, mobile-first markets like Southeast Asia, where food delivery spending in the region climbed to US$19.3 billion in 2024, marking a 13 per cent year-on-year increase led by Vietnam and Indonesia. Driven by rising urbanisation, increased mobile usage, and a strong culture of app-based ordering, platforms in cities like Jakarta, Manila, and Bangkok are improving the app experience by making it more relevant, tailored, and seamless for users.

At the same time, economic pressures are prompting companies to rethink how they grow. With consumer spending becoming more selective and acquisition costs rising, app-based food brands are shifting focus from downloads and discounts to long-term engagement, loyalty, and value. Mobile marketing is playing a key role in powering this shift, helping marketers meet the evolving needs of today’s more discerning consumers

From mass reach to meaningful retention

Consumers in the region are becoming more deliberate with their spending. Many are cutting back on non-essential purchases, but they are still drawn to platforms that offer more than just speed or price. There is growing demand for apps that provide relevant, timely experiences that feel personalised and rewarding.

Also Read: How the upcycling movement can help build a true circular food economy

Food delivery platforms are adjusting their strategies accordingly. Instead of relying solely on discount-led campaigns, many are embracing more targeted approaches based on user behaviour over time. Personalisation is a key driver here, with consumers responding well to offers that align with their cultural context, daily habits, and preferences.

To make these experiences possible, marketers are turning to mobile measurement and analytics platforms to gain better insight into the user journey. In a region where consumers often jump between different apps, channels, and devices, understanding where users come from and what keeps them active is essential.

These platforms are now vital for teams to accurately track key engagement signals across fragmented digital ecosystems. With this comprehensive data capture, marketers can better understand where high-quality users originate and how their post-install behaviour translates into long-term value, shifting the emphasis beyond mere downloads towards smarter targeting and retention.

Crucially, robust deep linking capabilities play an important role in eliminating friction points. They ensure that when a user engages with a promotion or notification, they are instantly directed to the exact, relevant in-app content, significantly reducing drop-off, boosting conversion rates, and maintaining excellent brand experiences.

Also Read: Everything you should know about the future of futuristic food technology

The next chapter of loyalty in food delivery

The continued growth of Southeast Asia’s food delivery sector is not a given. It is a reflection of how quickly platforms in the region are adapting to meet the demands of a mobile-first, experience-driven market.

As consumers become more selective, loyalty will depend less on blanket promotions and more on thoughtful engagement. The ability to understand user needs, personalise content at scale, and measure what drives results will define the next phase of success.

In this landscape, marketing tools that provide transparency and actionable insights are becoming essential. Platforms that combine these capabilities with an understanding of local culture and user expectations will be best positioned to lead. The region’s food delivery growth story is far from over. With the right strategy, the platforms can continue to deepen their user relationships, even as global trends shift around them.

—

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The climate crisis is one of the most significant issues that we are facing today. It is a threat to humanity and the planet, and impacts all aspects of our lives, including the environment, economy, public health and social well-being.

Everything else that keeps us busy — the ebb and flow of cryptocurrency, the seemingly unending potential of the metaverse, and AI with all its ethical implications — all pales in comparison to the fight we should be mounting against climate change.

The focus now is on averting potential future catastrophes while also handling the current impact that is already being felt by communities around the world.

Asia as a region is lagging behind in the climate change fight. While the reasons behind this lag are nuanced, the primary objective is not: to fight climate change with the best of our region’s ability.

When it comes to climate action, it is important to shoot for the moon, even if we land on the stars.

Growing pains

Asia is both rapidly developing and home to some of the most populous countries, and its energy consumption and industrial activities hold significant global impact.

Five of the ten largest carbon emitters in the world (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea) are found in the region, and it accounts for 45 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions because of its large populations.

Achieving net-zero will be extremely challenging but ultimately rewarding for our planet and future generations to come — and Asia can play a significant role in the global effort for climate change.

Unequal risks across the region

The economic risks will be high. According to McKinsey, countries in the Asia Pacific have about 37 per cent of their GDP in sectors most exposed to the transition to net zero, which is above the world average of about 35 per cent.

Also Read: Southeast Asia startups secure funding for logistics, anime, sustainability and more!

However, Asia is not one monolithic country or economy, and there is a wide variation that depends on the specifics of each country.

In Singapore, GDP exposure lies at 21 per cent, while it is 58 per cent in Vietnam. Similarly, the percentage of jobs in sectors that will be affected spans a wide range, from 22 per cent (Singapore) to 72 per cent (India).

McKinsey estimates that the net-zero transition could be somewhat positive overall, with a global loss of 187 million jobs by 2050 and the creation of 202 million new ones, given the growth of sectors like hydrogen and renewables.

While Asia as a region can and should play a significant role in decarbonisation, it is equally imperative to tackle this charge with nuance and understanding. Global North countries in Asia, such as Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and South Korea, will face overall lower exposure to the transition—this means less disruption, fewer jobs lost, and less economic disorder — even though both Japan and South Korea are some of the top emitters of greenhouse gases.

Manufacturing-dependent countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam are more exposed to shifts in demand for products than, say, Japan, which is predominantly a service economy.

The transition period to achieve net-zero will come at a cost, and the wealth gap between these countries and the rest in Asia might increase. This disruption will also flow from the top to bottom, affecting residents of the region on the individual level.

For instance, the lower-income population would endure the effects of higher electricity prices during the transition, and many will lose jobs in the fossil fuel industries while the creation of new jobs in clean energy sectors is being created.

Also Read: ESG frameworks and standards: Cutting through the complexity for private markets

It is in this awkward in-between phase that we must practise teamwork and compassion with a willingness to understand that the road to net zero is not made equal for all.

A bright future ahead, but only if we aim high

The road to net-zero will be a difficult one for Asia, but one that will ultimately reap rewards. According to the same McKinsey report, the region is well placed for renewable energy and abatement efforts: Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand have great potential for reforestation, Japan has ambitions to become a major offshore wind energy producer, while the Sarawak region in Malaysia is set to become a leader in hydrogen.

Over in Indonesia, the potential for geothermal energy is vast, given its location near the Ring of Fire but it will need global partners to truly harness the full potential it may have.

Markets will expand for low-emissions products and industries, like electric vehicles, human-powered vehicles, and new goods and services to support these changes, such as rare-earth materials, forest management, and better public infrastructure for mass transit.

The industry is already getting a boost with China’s oil giants investing in renewable energy, and Vietnam has embraced renewable sources like solar, wind, hydro and biomass. As a region that is rich in natural, human, and technological capital, Asia is well poised for a net-zero future.

But this abundance will be for nought if we do not aim extremely high. Knowing that most countries globally have consistently fallen behind on climate change goals, it is important to do as much as possible, so that we can compensate for the high chance that we do not meet those goals.

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The cryptocurrency industry navigated a turbulent 2025, with hackers successfully draining US$2.78 billion from various platforms throughout the year.

According to the 2025 Cryptocurrency Market Report by Finbold, which utilised data from blockchain security firm SlowMist, while the headline figure remains high, the year was defined by a massive early shock followed by a steady stabilisation of the security landscape.

The Bybit breach: A massive outlier

The most significant event of the year was the Bybit hack, a single incident that accounted for US$1.5 billion in losses. This breach alone represented more than half of all stolen crypto funds for the entire year, dramatically skewing the annual risk profile.

Also Read: Professionalised crypto crime: 2025 becomes third-worst year on record

The incident was traced back to a wallet compromise, highlighting that centralised custody and key management remain critical points of failure. While the industry has made significant strides in smart contract security, the Bybit case proves that centralised infrastructure continues to pose a systemic risk when safeguards fail.

Beyond this significant event, other notable losses were distributed among a small number of high-impact incidents, including attacks on Cetus Protocol, Balancer V2, LIBRA, and Nobitex. These breaches were caused by a variety of factors, including contract vulnerabilities, logic flaws, rug pulls, and security lapses.

From chaos to control: A front-loaded year

A closer analysis of the quarterly data reveals that the threat of cybercrime was not persistent, but rather overwhelmingly front-loaded in the first quarter.

Also Read: Crypto’s crossroads: Tracking the surge in thefts, hacks, and violence

• Q1: Losses reached approximately US$1.78 billion, primarily driven by the Bybit incident, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the annual total.
• Q2: Losses dropped sharply to roughly US$465 million.
• Q3: The downward trend continued, with losses falling to just over US$300 million.
• Q4: The year ended on its most positive note, with total hack-related losses falling below US$230 million—the lowest quarterly figure of the year.

Wallets vs. smart contracts

Despite the ongoing emphasis on smart contract auditing within the Web3 ecosystem, wallet-related breaches proved to be the most financially devastating attack vector in 2025. The dominance of the Bybit breach highlights how failures in custody infrastructure can lead to substantial losses, even as decentralised protocols adopt more robust security frameworks. While contract vulnerabilities and logic flaws remained a threat, their cumulative impact was notably smaller than that of wallet compromises.

The path forward for 2026

The sharp slowdown in the latter half of 2025 suggests a maturing market with improving security discipline. The absence of large-scale breaches in the final quarter points towards more cautious capital deployment and fewer exploitable concentrations of value.

Also Read: On-chain data and Web3 security: Insights from industry experts

Finbold’s analysis suggests that 2025 was less a year of escalating crime and more a period of adjustment. As the industry advances, the trend indicates that early security shocks have given way to tighter controls and a reduced frequency of exploits, marking a period of gradual improvement for the digital asset ecosystem.

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The race to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into business is well underway in Southeast Asia (SEA). But as the adoption curve steepens, one truth remains clear: consumers across the region are not merely craving automation—they want AI experiences that still feel human.

SleekFlow’s recent whitepaper, AI Transformation in SEA, sheds critical light on how AI is being implemented in the region and why the next frontier isn’t about choosing between humans or machines—but about blending both.

This article explores how SEA businesses are riding the AI wave, why the human element still matters, and what’s at stake for those failing to keep up.

From hype to habit: AI is now business as usual

What was once considered futuristic is now foundational. Across Southeast Asia, AI adoption is far from experimental. In Indonesia, 87 per cent of businesses are already using AI-powered tools.

Singapore follows closely with 77 per cent, while Malaysia sees 67 per cent of its businesses integrating AI into operations. These technologies—ranging from chatbots and CRM automation to predictive analytics and omni-channel engagement platforms—are no longer optional; they’re essential for scalability and smarter operations.

And yet, despite the widespread uptake, ROI remains top-of-mind. In fact, 40 per cent of businesses said a “proven ROI” would most encourage them to invest further—suggesting that while the AI hype has normalised, real-world results are now the true north.

Also Read: How blockchain can help combat ongoing fraud in the Halal food industry in SEA

AI-powered customer experience is the new moat

The battleground for customer loyalty in Southeast Asia has shifted dramatically. According to SleekFlow, 80 per cent of businesses in the region are now deploying AI in customer service—and they’re not merely testing the waters. Satisfaction rates are high, particularly in markets where personalisation plays a significant role.

In Indonesia, 86 per cent of consumers say they’re more likely to make a purchase when offers are personalised. Malaysia follows with 80 per cent, and Singapore with 73 per cent. These figures underscore how much personalised engagement drives conversions.

Moreover, the demand for speed is rising—45 per cent of Southeast Asian consumers expect a response from businesses in under three minutes. In this context, speed, relevance, and convenience are no longer added benefits; they have become baseline expectations.

AI must feel human or consumers will walk

Here’s where the story gets nuanced.

When asked if they preferred AI or human customer agents, 41 per cent of SEA consumers answered: it depends. They recognise AI’s strengths—fast booking (70 per cent), multilingual support (66 per cent), and speedy responses (63 per cent)—but they also value emotional intelligence, personalised care, and complex problem-solving. These remain the domain of human agents.

Notably, 73 per cent of shoppers prefer businesses where AI is managed by humans. The message? Consumers aren’t afraid of AI—they just want assurance that a human is still in the loop.

Also Read: Fertile ground for partnership: How agritech boom in SEA holds a promise for Latin America

Looking ahead, SEA customers expect mobile-first experiences and ethical, sustainable AI use. Companies that ignore these signals may find their brand loyalty eroding—no matter how advanced their tech stack.

Real brands, real AI transformation

AI-powered service is no longer a niche strategy—it’s now essential. And major SEA platforms are setting the bar:

• TikTok Shop: Its Seller Assistant, an AI chatbot, helps sellers manage listings and get 24/7 guidance—cutting down human intervention and boosting platform scalability.
• Shopee: Through Shopee Live and its chatbot “Sophie,” which resolved 18 million support chats in 2023 (with an 80 per cent resolution rate), the company merges social commerce with AI.
• Lazada: Launched LazzieChat, an OpenAI-powered assistant, across Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It personalises product recommendations and boosts shopper engagement.

Even Google has entered the fray, launching a comprehensive AI shopping mode that includes an upgraded Shopping Graph, virtual try-ons, dynamic product discovery, and checkout assistants—all built with contextual intelligence at its core.

What happens to the laggards?

The divide between AI adopters and traditional businesses is growing fast—and it’s more than a tech gap. It’s a competitiveness gap.

Only 30 per cent of non-AI businesses rate their operations as efficient, compared to 80 per cent of AI-driven companies. The cost of delay is real: higher overhead, poor scalability, slower time-to-market, and reduced customer satisfaction. In a region moving this quickly, falling behind could mean falling off entirely.

Conclusion: AI isn’t replacing people, it’s reinventing experience

The big takeaway? The future isn’t AI versus humans. It’s AI with humans.

SEA consumers are sending a clear message—they’ll embrace AI, but only if it augments human connection, not replaces it. For businesses, the challenge now is to create experiences that blend intelligence with empathy, speed with sincerity.

Those who get this right will not only meet rising expectations—they’ll redefine what it means to lead in the AI era.

The time to act is now.

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Artificial Intelligence has reshaped customer service, especially for organisations trying to reduce operational costs and speed up support delivery. But while automation improves efficiency, a significant percentage of customers still want the option to speak with a real person. This preference becomes even stronger when emotions run high or the issue is complex. Businesses that overlook this reality risk weakening customer loyalty and damaging their brand experience.

A balanced AI-human support model offers a far stronger approach than fully automated systems. It ensures customers receive the speed of technology and the reassurance of human interaction when it matters most. The insights below break down why hybrid support has become essential and how businesses can implement it effectively.

Why hybrid support outperforms pure automation

AI tools are impressive, but they have a clear limit. They excel in situations that rely on rules, predefined workflows, and repetitive tasks. They struggle when customer intent becomes unclear or when emotional intelligence is required.

Many companies have adopted bots as a complete replacement for human support. The goal was understandable: lower costs and higher productivity. However, this shift also introduced new problems. Automated systems often fail to understand context, escalate issues correctly, or adapt to edge-case scenarios. Customers end up stuck in repetitive loops, frustrated, and ready to leave for a competitor.

A hybrid support model solves this by combining automation with human expertise. AI handles predictable inquiries at scale. Human agents step in for conversations that require reasoning, empathy, or negotiation. This blended approach reduces operational strain while protecting customer satisfaction.

Also Read: Creating sustainable futures: The vision of steady-state societies and still cities

Where AI adds the most value

AI becomes a powerful asset when used for tasks that demand accuracy and speed rather than judgment. Here are key areas where automation performs best:

• Repetitive and routine interactions: Questions like order updates, returns, refund timelines, password resets, and account details can easily be resolved by AI systems. These workflows follow clear paths and do not require nuanced interpretation. Automating them saves time for both customers and support agents.
• Continuous availability: Customers today expect immediate responses, regardless of time zone. For companies serving global users, 24/7 support is no longer optional. AI ensures round-the-clock availability without the need for large overnight teams.
• Handling sudden spikes in volume: Seasonal sales, promotions, viral campaigns, and new product launches often create traffic surges that overwhelm human teams. AI can manage thousands of queries simultaneously, preventing long wait times and abandoned interactions.

When used strategically, AI becomes a stabilising force in customer service operations. But relying on it exclusively leaves a major gap that only human agents can fill.

Where human agents are irreplaceable

Technology enhances customer experience, but it cannot replicate genuine human understanding. Human agents remain the backbone of strong customer relationships for three core reasons:

• Emotional intelligence and empathy: Many support situations require more than a correct answer. A customer dealing with a billing mistake, a broken product, or a missed service appointment is often stressed or frustrated. These conversations demand patience, tone control, and emotional awareness—skills no automated system can genuinely deliver. Humans can listen, interpret emotion, and respond with sensitivity. This connection is often the difference between customer retention and customer loss.

• Solving complex or multi-step issues: AI struggles with unexpected variables or issues that require negotiation or problem-solving beyond scripted flows. Human agents interpret context, ask clarifying questions, and analyse multiple possibilities before offering a solution. This adaptability is essential in industries such as finance, healthcare, travel, and technology, where problems regularly extend beyond a simple ruleset.

• Building trust and long-term loyalty: High-value customers stay because they trust the people behind a brand. A meaningful interaction with a knowledgeable and empathetic agent often does more for retention than any promotional offer. This relational value cannot be automated.

Executing a smooth AI-to-human handoff

A hybrid support strategy only works if the transition between AI and human agents is seamless. Poor handoff experiences are one of the biggest causes of customer frustration. A well-designed system includes the following elements:

• Sentiment-based routing: If a customer expresses confusion, irritation, or repeated failed attempts to resolve a problem, the system should instantly transfer the conversation to a human agent. No customer should feel trapped in an endless loop of scripted responses.
• Complete conversation history: When an agent joins the conversation, they must see everything the customer has already shared. Asking the customer to repeat their issue signals inefficiency and damages trust. A clean handoff improves first-contact resolution and shortens handling time.
• Intelligent prioritisation: Not every conversation needs a human, and not every customer issue is urgent. Smart routing categorises inquiries and directs them to the right tier of support. This reduces backlog and increases efficiency.

Also Read: How to use blockchain to fund and create a greener future

Steps to build a high-performing hybrid support model

Creating a balanced system requires more than purchasing AI software. The strategy behind the technology is what makes the difference.

• Analyse the customer journey: Review historical support tickets and identify patterns. Determine which interactions consistently require emotional support or complex reasoning and which can be automated reliably. Mapping these touchpoints helps you build a workflow that aligns with real customer needs.
• Be transparent about AI usage: Customers should always know whether they are interacting with a bot or a human. Hiding automation creates distrust. A simple notification such as “You are chatting with our virtual assistant” establishes clarity and sets expectations.
• Equip and train your support team: Human agents should view AI as a co-worker, not a threat. Give them tools that surface customer insights, past interactions, and relevant knowledge base articles instantly. Better support systems make agents faster and more accurate, improving overall service quality.

Why hybrid support has become the new standard

Automation alone cannot deliver a complete customer experience. Human agents alone cannot handle modern support volume efficiently. The most successful organisations combine both intelligently.

The goal is not to automate everything; it is to create interactions that feel relevant, responsive, and personal. When AI manages routine work, human agents have the bandwidth to focus on conversations that matter most. This leads to stronger relationships, higher satisfaction, and better long-term loyalty.

A hybrid model ensures:

• Faster response times
• More accurate resolutions
• Better emotional support
• Reduced operational costs
• Consistent satisfaction across channels

Companies that adopt this approach gain a competitive advantage because they respect what customers want: speed when possible, human connection when necessary.

Final thoughts

A well-designed AI-human hybrid system allows organisations to deliver personalised support at scale. AI handles predictable tasks with unmatched efficiency. Human agents manage the situations that define customer trust. When both elements work together, customers experience a level of service that feels smooth, reliable, and genuinely helpful.

If your business is looking for stronger support performance, improved customer satisfaction, and a more efficient workflow, adopting a hybrid approach is the most practical and effective strategy.

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