Welcome to Tech in Asia’s Sunday newsletter, your weekend brief on the biggest moves in Asia’s tech and startup world. Not on the mailing list? Register here. Got a story tip? Send it to editors@techinasia.com.
In focus
- Scott Shuey on a cautious shift in the AI gold rush
- Why banks’ AI push runs ahead of results – our guest writer explains
- Our latest IPO tracker shows the Chinese AI startups driving Asia’s IPO pipeline
Hello reader,
Is it possible? Have the investors and clients of the world finally learned the lesson that rushing into new technology might have risks?
HAHA. Of course not.
As we saw with The New York Times’ story on Medvi, hype can still trump reality. People want to believe that absurdly large amounts of money can be made by using software with US$20 subscriptions.
But looking back through our stories this week, I am starting to see companies and investors actually showing they are capable of being cautious around new technology.
Image credit: Ulla
In particular, two stories come to mind: “Banks pour billions into AI, but most see no ROI. Here’s why” and “AI trading agents are only as trustworthy as their data.” These stories address the same issue – lack of trust in AI – but from opposite sides of the trading desk.
To be fair, trust isn’t the only issue. In banking, there is a laundry list of challenges, while in trading, investors are waking up to the possibility of what used to be called a flash crash. The AI-driven variety is still known as an algorithmic flash crash, but it’s scarier, faster, and easier to trigger.
Now, if I’ve scared you out of the market, we also have a less daunting story that you might be interested in.
Elyssa Lopez writes about why EV motorbikes are gaining ground on the streets of some Southeast Asian cities. One of the driving forces here – the ongoing war in the Persian Gulf – isn’t anything to cheer about either. But these days, I’ll take the silver lining.
Scott Shuey, senior editor
Editor’s picks
1️⃣ Banks pour billions into AI, but most see no ROI. Here’s why
Short cuts
The visual story you shouldn’t miss
Weekend deep dive
From funding boom to exit reality
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