Driving AGI Adoption: An Event for Industry Pioneers

Singapore – The AGI Applications: Shaping the Future Together event, held on October 17, 2024, at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) headquarters, brought AI experts and C-level executives from across the globe to discuss the role of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) in transforming industries. Organized by the One North Foundation, and sponsored by WIZ.AI and EDB, this exclusive event delved deeply into the latest developments in AGI and large language models (LLMs), and their implications.

Singapore's Role in Shaping AI

The event was kicked off by Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director of EDB. Jacqueline Poh outlined Singapore’s AI strategy, reiterating the country’s focus on developing practical, industry-specific AI solutions that drive economic growth. She highlighted Singapore’s $1 billion investment in AI talent development and its ambition to groom 15,000 AI experts.

AI Developments and Business Impacts

AI experts and business leaders contribute to the sharing session, noting the developments in artificial general intelligence and its impact on serious business scenarios. Here are key highlights from the speakers:
 
  • Dr. Hongjiang Zhang, an internationally renowned AI scientist and international member of US National Academy of Engineering, shared his expert insights on the development of Large AI models. One of them includes scaling law and ecosystems. He also emphasized the rapid progress being made and concluded that the era of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) will arrive sooner than anticipated. His powerful statement, “Co-pilot is the transition state, the future belongs to autopilot.Autonomous AI isn’t coming; it’s practically here.

  • Amy Wei, Senior Product Director at Trip.com Group, showcased TripGenie, an AI-powered travel assistant that leverages AGI to revolutionize trip planning. She revealed that TripGenie’s AI model surpasses competitors like ChatGPT 4/3.5 and Bard in generating itineraries, ensuring “no failed trips” for users. “And this is one thing I would like to highlight here,” Amy stated, “after we integrate human feedback and also using our internal database, all of the itinerary we generate is about a set cycle level over 6 points out of 10.” Amy also introduced LinguaLink, an internal AI-powered translation tool that has improved the speed and efficiency of translating content according to scenarios, further enhancing Trip.com’s ability to serve diverse markets.

    Guangmi Li
    , CEO of Shixiang Technology and former investor at Sequoia Capital China, presented insightful message on the current Augmented Reality (AR) landscape, highlighting the significant growth and revenue potential of various AI-native products. He noted the rise of ChatGPT along with other competitors like Anthropic and Eleven Labs. “Looking at the current state of AR, it’s clear that while there’s significant revenue growth driven by subscription models, we are still in the relatively early stages. The potential is massive, but the maturity of AI products will take time to fully develop,” said Li Guangmi.

    Zhifei Li
    , CEO and Founder of Mobvoi, Lizhifei emphasized the importance of context-specific AI solutions over general-purpose models, arguing that while advancements in AGI, such as OpenAI’s models, are significant, they are merely tools, not the end goal. “In most cases, especially when dealing with humans, there’s no real demand for general-purpose AI. Every individual operates within a specific context, and it is in these particular scenarios where quick, targeted solutions are needed. That’s what users truly require.”

    Jianfeng Lu
    , Founder of One North Foundation and Co-Founder and Chairman of WIZ.AI, outlined a future where AI transforms customer service. Lu outlined WIZ.AI’s evolution from voice-centric solutions to comprehensive AGI offerings, progressing towards fully LLM-driven operations by 2028. In this era, from a smart BPO point of view, revenue growth shouldn’t be linear with number of agents, but on automation solutions with WIZ.AI. Aside from that, Lu also emphasized the importance of human adaptation in this AI era, encouraging people to Engage, Embrace, Establish, and Evolve with LLMs.

A Vision for Southeast Asia's AI Future

The event concluded on a high note, with thought-provoking presentations and engaging discussions that shed light on the future of AGI and its transformative impact on industries. Speakers offered insights into how advanced AI solutions are already driving innovation and how they will continue to shape the future of business. The event underscored the importance of collaboration between technology leaders, as they push the boundaries of what AI can achieve.

About One North Foundation

One North Foundation is committed to advancing AI through collaboration, research, and thought leadership. The foundation organizes conferences and partners with industry leaders, school and businesses to push the boundaries of AGI.

About WIZ.AI

WIZ.AI provides enterprise-grade conversational AI solutions to enhance customer experience and increase operational efficiency. WIZ.AI’s AI Agents provide human-like engagement to facilitate customer interactions at scale, enabling businesses worldwide to connect with their customers and provide exceptional customer service and strong business ROI.
 
Currently, WIZ.AI caters to over 300 clients across 17 countries. WIZ.AI’s solutions span industries including Banking and Finance, Telco, Healthcare, E-Commerce, and FMCG, providing solutions for customer growth, customer support, collection, contact center insights, and order taking. Read more.

About EDB

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the lead government agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, is responsible for strategies that enhance Singapore’s position as a global centre for business, innovation, and talent. EDB mission is to create sustainable economic growth, with vibrant business and good job opportunities for Singapore.