This was Mirek Dušek's answer when Techsauce asked what global business leaders are most concerned about right now.

Dušek is Managing Director, Chief Business Officer and Head of Global Programming at the World Economic Forum (WEF). He oversees the overall programming of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC), better known as Summer Davos. The 17th edition was held in Dalian, China, from 23 to 25 June 2026 under the theme Innovating at Scale. Techsauce travelled to Dalian to attend the meeting and spoke with him in depth.

The Faster the World Changes, the More Leaders Need to Think Long Term

Over the past six months, the world has gone through a series of geopolitical, economic and technological shifts. The question that follows is how WEF decides the central theme of each meeting when everything is changing this quickly.

Dušek explained that WEF's philosophy is to help leaders from all walks of life come together to think about the long term. The faster the system changes, the more urgent it becomes to do more long-term thinking and long-term building. "Amid what is a very fast-changing situation, there is this acute urgency to actually do more long-term thinking and more long-term building," he said.

That idea is reflected in the scale of the meeting itself. This year in Dalian, more than 1,700 leaders from around the world gathered, including participants from China, Asia and other regions. The main Davos meeting in Switzerland brings together more than 3,000 leaders. At this scale, WEF uses convening power to bring people who do not usually sit in the same conversations into the same room, at the same time, to think about the same issues.

The Knowledge Leaders Need Is No Longer Easy to Find

Dušek pointed out that with change moving this quickly, much of the knowledge leaders need to make decisions, whether on investment or other issues, is not readily available. That makes the chance to exchange views with the right people, in a trusted environment, more important than ever.

Compared with 10 years ago, he has seen CEOs of large companies, startup leaders and even policymakers become far more open and curious. They are listening more carefully, taking notes in sessions and working together to figure out how to deal with these risks while also capturing the huge opportunities they see in the world economy.

Put simply, a meeting like AMNC is not only a stage for announcing visions. It also responds to a knowledge gap that no single organization can solve on its own anymore.

The Intersection of Opportunity and Risk

AI is the clearest example of this intersection. The question leaders have to answer is how to invest at the right time while also managing the risk that some assets may lose value in the future. In this context, stranded assets refer to assets or infrastructure that have already been invested in but become obsolete or unusable faster than expected.

In an environment changing this quickly, Dušek said organizations need to be constructively paranoid, meaning they need to watch risks carefully and rationally, rather than become directionless or fearful. Organizations that were never competitors in the past could quickly become competitors in the near future.

Yet the question he emphasized most is who to partner with. Sometimes organizations need to partner with policymakers to understand the broader infrastructure build-out around AI. At other times, it is about partnerships between unicorn startups and incumbent players. Dušek sees this as one of the most important questions on leaders' minds right now.

He did not dismiss geopolitical risk. Many leaders are clearly grappling with it. But he said WEF is more interested in the long-term imperatives facing business leaders.

Trust Is the Most Expensive Currency

When the conversation turned to trust, which many now see as one of the most valuable currencies of this moment, Techsauce asked how trust can be built among key stakeholders, including policymakers, business leaders and society.

Dušek answered, "It's a very good question," before explaining that there is a lot of science around trust. Ultimately, he said, it comes down to showing up and engaging in a sustainable way. It is very difficult to build trust on the first occasion. Trust requires showing results, doing so in a predictable way, continuing to show up, engaging, showing interest and listening. He sees this as the key ingredient in building trust.

He acknowledged that the world now operates in a more contested and fragmented landscape, particularly geopolitically. That makes every occasion to show up and engage an important step in building trust. This is also the role WEF chooses to play in this equation.

The short conversation with Dušek shows that Summer Davos is not merely an annual conference. It is an attempt to answer one of the hardest questions for leaders today: how to invest in time, manage risk and build trust at the same time, in a world that does not wait for anyone to think slowly.

In this article, Techsauce had the opportunity to speak with Eric Tse, the son of Tse Ping, who has fully taken over as Chairman of CTTQ and CEO of SBP Group. The conversation explores his vision for leading the company, the direction of China's pharmaceutical industry as it disrupts the global market, and, most importantly, how "Thailand" can play a role and capture opportunities within this equation.

The Company's More Than 30-Year Journey in China's Pharmaceutical Arena

Eric Tse defines the company's identity as pioneer innovation, or being an innovation pioneer rather than a follower.

He began by explaining that the company's origins are deeply connected to Thailand. It is part of Charoen Pokphand Group, Thailand's largest conglomerate, whose name is recorded as the first foreign investor willing to cross the wall and invest in China as early as 1978. The pharmaceutical business then began in earnest in the 1990s. From a small starting point that few paid attention to, the company gradually accumulated knowledge and grew steadily until it became one of the leading players in China's pharmaceutical industry today.

But that was only the beginning. The next goal Eric is pushing the organization toward is to move beyond the image of being a domestic player and elevate its capabilities to become a full-fledged global player. The transition is from a company that grew in China into a Chinese innovative pharmaceutical company with a significant role on the international stage.

Before reaching that point, Eric took us back through the company's path in China's pharmaceutical arena, which covers treatments ranging from oncology, hepatitis, respiratory diseases, surgery, pain medication, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolism, to a new piece of the puzzle it is now moving into: immunology.

The real highlight of this conversation, however, is a business decision that outsiders might look at and wonder how the company dared to make it.

Originally, pharmaceutical companies had something like a gold mine that could be mined continuously: generic drugs. This business model generated money comfortably, came with low costs, delivered reliable profits, and did not require companies to shoulder the risk of pouring research budgets into work that could take more than a decade. Instead of holding on to this safe zone, Eric chose to walk away from that gold mine and put the company's full force behind self-developed innovative drugs. It is a game that is more expensive and riskier, but if successful, it can reshape the industry permanently.

Eric illustrated this organizational transformation with numbers that immediately reveal the scale of change.

1. A transformed revenue mix: In 2019, only 10% of the company's sales came from innovative drugs. By the time of our conversation, that figure had surged to 50%.
2. Fueling the future: The research and development (R&D) budget expanded from 2 billion yuan to 6 billion yuan per year.
3. The future is in hand: More than 90% of the company's current drug development pipeline has already become innovative drugs.

What amazes him most, and what he is most proud of, is that amid this historic transformation, the company's total revenue did not stumble at all. It has continued to maintain double-digit growth every year, with revenue up about 50% compared with 2019.

US$130 Billion as the World Turns to Chinese Research

One of the questions we asked Eric was about the value of licensing deals from China, which surged past US$130 billion over the past year. What does this enormous figure signal about the global pharmaceutical industry?

For Eric, this is more than an exciting success figure. It is a "strategic turning point" that reflects the world's official recognition of the quality and speed of research coming from China.

He explained that, in the past, global multinational pharmaceutical companies may have seen China only as a low-cost production base. Today, that current has completely changed direction. Those companies have become the ones that need to accelerate in order to keep up with Chinese innovation, and many have chosen to reduce risk by quickly entering partnerships with pharmaceutical companies in China before they miss this important train.

What Eric emphasized firmly is that the success visible today did not happen overnight.

He sees it as the result of relentless investment accumulated over more than 20 years. Today is simply the period of harvesting the results of what was patiently sown. This is perhaps the most important lesson for every developing country that wants to elevate its own pharmaceutical and public health capabilities.

When AI Compresses 10 Years into 2 Years, Where Is the New Wall in Pharma?

When we brought up AI, most people might expect a striking answer about discovering new drugs. Eric Tse instead took us into a perspective that challenges familiar assumptions. He pointed out that AI today is not yet a large language model (LLM) that can immediately understand everything in the pharmaceutical universe. It is a precise tool, highly capable of solving specific problems. This is the point that completely changes the rules of competition.

Eric showed how AI has broken down the difficulty barrier in drug discovery, compressing a process that used to take a decade into just two years or less. When discovery is no longer as difficult or time-consuming as in the past, the real wall moves to clinical development, a battlefield that consumes both enormous capital and long timelines. This is the point that determines who will win in the market. At this stage, speed and quality are the core requirements, and Eric is confident that China has a stronger advantage than anyone else.

The 3 Layers of AI That Are Changing the Industry

To make the picture clearer, Eric divided AI's role into three layers that help accelerate organizational efficiency.

• Early Research Layer: Uses AI to deepen early-stage research, improve accuracy, and shorten the time needed to screen drug molecules.
• Clinical Development Layer: Uses AI to manage data and clinical trial processes, which are among the most complex and capital-intensive stages.
• Management Layer: The management layer already used across many industries, where AI reduces repetitive work, improves operational excellence, and turns organizational knowledge management into a valuable asset.

Before ending this point, Eric left a statement that reflects adaptation in the AI era:

AI will not replace humans, but people who know how to use AI will replace those who do not.

Recommendations for Thailand's Ambition to Become a Regional Medical Hub

When the conversation arrived at a key milestone, Thailand's ambition to become a medical hub and a regional center for clinical trials, Eric Tse proposed that the Thai and Chinese Ministries of Public Health work together to build a mutual recognition system, or a mechanism through which the two countries can mutually recognize clinical data.

Eric believes that if countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative collaborate to recognize one another's clinical trial data from Phase 1 to Phase 3, it would become a powerful business shortcut. Once a drug is approved by one member country, another country could then approve it for distribution immediately.

This is a major opportunity for Thai startups and pharmaceutical companies. It means that innovative drugs developed and approved in Thailand, even if they have not yet gone through the lengthy process of the US FDA, could use this system and Chinese recognition to scale immediately into China's massive market, before using it as a springboard to expand into Western markets in the future.

But this deal comes with important conditions from Eric:

1. Strategic Selection: Thailand must choose hospitals and clinical trial centers wisely.
2. Data Quality: The country must control the standards of data collection and patient sample groups to an international level, ensuring that the data quality is credible at the same standard.

If this ecosystem truly emerges, the bottleneck in treatment development will disappear. Innovative drugs will be pushed into the market at a much faster pace, not only in China. Thailand's public health system will also benefit directly through access to new treatments that answer the needs of patients with unmet medical needs, or diseases that still do not have definitive cures.

Source: Interview with Eric Tse, son of Tse Ping, who has taken over as Chairman of CTTQ and CEO of SBP Group.

Over the next three days, more than 25,000 attendees, alongside more than 340 speakers, 450 exhibitors, 300 startups and 600 investors representing more than US$6.5 trillion total assets under management, will come together to explore topics spanning artificial intelligence, technology diplomacy, cross-border investment and digital innovation.

LEAP East is poised to reinforce Hong Kong’s growing position as a key gateway for technology, investment and innovation between Asia and the Middle East.

The event was officially opened by H.E. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia, alongside the Hon. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Prof. Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and Faisal Bin Saud Al Khamisi, Co-Chairman of the Board of Tahaluf, underscoring the growing importance both governments place on strengthening technology cooperation, innovation and cross-border investment between Asia and the Gulf.

(From left to right) Mr. Muteb Alqani, CEO of SAFCSP, Mr. Ivan Lee, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr. Faisal Alkhamisi, Co-Chairman of the Board, Tahaluf, ⁠Prof. Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, H.E. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Honorable Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, Ms. Lillian Cheong, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, Ms. Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President of Tahaluf, Mr. Michael Champion, CEO of Tahaluf, Ms. Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK

In his opening keynote, H.E. Abdullah Alswaha highlighted Asia’s growing influence in the global technology economy, pointing to its US$34 trillion in economic activity, a third of the global economy and the world’s largest digital and AI economy, and 82 per cent of global AI patents.

The Hon. Paul Chan and Prof. Sun Dong set out Hong Kong’s role in strengthening technology and investment ties between Asia and the Gulf, underpinned by the city’s international capital markets, growing innovation ecosystem and position as a strategic gateway connecting Asia with global markets.

“Both of us are gateways to our respective regions. There is enormous potential for Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia to do more together, connecting ideas, capital and opportunities across regions and cultures,” said the Hon. Paul Chan.

Prof. Sun Dong also detailed the HKSAR Government’s continued investment in innovation and technology, including three HK$10 billion funding initiatives – equivalent to more than US$3.8 billion in support. Hong Kong’s startup ecosystem has grown by nearly 40 per cent since 2021, exceeding 5,200 startups in 2025.

“Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has opened extraordinary opportunities for technological development, digital transformation, and new industries. This international gathering reflects the rising global momentum in innovation and technology, and Hong Kong is well-positioned to serve as a super- connector and facilitator for international exchange, " he said.

Following the opening ceremony, senior Saudi Arabian and Hong Kong delegations joined organisers for an official tour of the exhibition, visiting technology showcases and pavilions from the Hong Kong Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP), Cyberport, Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (HSITP), Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Aramco Digital, Elm and Saudi Exports.

H.E. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, alongside the Hon. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, and Prof. Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, joined an exhibition tour and met with exhibitors to learn about the latest developments in their technologies.

Faisal Bin Saud Al Khamisi, Co-Chairman of the Board of Tahaluf, said the launch of LEAP East marks an important milestone in LEAP’s international expansion. This is a homegrown Saudi IP and the first of its kind to go global.

“LEAP began as an event, but it has grown into a movement built on human connection. And now, it is going international. We could not have chosen a more fitting home for this moment than Hong Kong, the gateway to Asia” he said.

Over the next three days, discussions at LEAP East will explore how artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship and technology diplomacy are shaping economic growth, investment and new partnerships between Asia and the Gulf.

Mike Champion, CEO of Tahaluf, said the scale of the inaugural LEAP East demonstrates the strength of demand for deeper connections between the technology ecosystems of Asia and the Gulf. 

“Tens of thousands of attendees will come together for the first LEAP East, making it more than five times the scale typically seen for a new event launch in Hong Kong. That response tells us there is real demand for stronger connections between Asia and the Gulf,” he said. “Capital, technology and talent are already moving between the two regions, and LEAP East is here to turn that momentum into innovation, investment and long-term partnerships.”

Although these solutions address different parts of the network, they all point to the same direction: the telecom industry is moving beyond selling “connectivity” toward delivering “experience” designed around real-world use cases.

Here are five key signals from Huawei that show how AI-era networks are changing.

1. AI-era mobile networks will need to prioritize uplink

In the past, many users judged internet quality mainly by download speed. But in the Mobile AI era, uploading data back to the cloud will become increasingly important, whether for AI glasses, smart wearables, video content, video calls, or AI agents that need to interact in real time.

Barbara Pareglio, Senior Technical Director at GSMA, said Mobile AI is reshaping mobile network traffic from a downlink-focused model toward one that requires a better balance between uplink and downlink. Uplink enhancement, latency assurance, and deeper collaboration between devices, networks, and the cloud will become key directions for future network development.

Huawei introduced its GigaUplink Solution to help operators improve uplink capabilities. The solution combines multi-antenna upgrades with algorithms for spectrum collaboration, device-network collaboration, and network collaboration. According to Huawei, it can increase uplink capacity by five times and improve coverage by 10 dB.

2. 5G-A will become a scenario-based service, not just a faster network

Another highlight was the launch of the 5G-A High-Speed Railway Network Acceleration Service by GSMA, China Mobile, and Huawei, which is scheduled for commercial rollout in China in August 2026.

The service is designed under a “1+3+5” framework: one special identity through a VIP logo displayed on smartphones, three core technologies including 5G-A high bandwidth, dedicated high-speed railway networks, and an AI-native core network, as well as five use cases: livestreaming, video conferencing, online gaming, AI Calling, and AI Office.

This shows that 5G-A may not be positioned only as a faster network. Instead, it can be packaged as a scenario-specific experience, such as working on a high-speed train, joining online meetings while traveling, or using AI Office in an environment that requires highly stable connectivity.

3. Home broadband will shift from selling speed to delivering intelligent experiences

For home broadband, Huawei introduced its AI-FAN Solution to upgrade home broadband from a connectivity-based model to C³: Connectivity + Committed + Content.

This means selling more than internet speed. It includes guaranteed experiences and network-enabled services or content, such as smart elderly care, cloud gaming, and 3D movie viewing.

Huawei said next-generation home broadband networks will rely on Wi-Fi 7, 50G PON, FTTR, Wi-Fi optimization, and home AI agents to deliver more stable user experiences, rather than simply offering higher Mbps numbers.

4. Enterprise networks will need to combine connectivity with computing

For enterprise customers, Huawei introduced its AI-OTN Solution to upgrade private line services from C: Connectivity to C²: Connectivity + Computing.

Huawei said private lines in the AI era should not compete only on bandwidth. They need to evolve into systems that address multiple dimensions, including latency, reliability, and security, supported by technologies such as Optical Cross-Connect, or OXC, Automatically Switched Optical Network, or ASON, and quantum encryption.

Huawei also proposed that operators redesign network strategies around AI data centers, with latency targets of 1 ms within cities, 5 ms within provinces, and 20 ms nationwide, along with 99.9999% reliability and security supported by QKD quantum encryption.

This reflects how enterprise networks in the AI era will no longer be just data transmission routes. They will become part of the computing system that must connect efficiently with data centers, cloud platforms, models, and applications.

5. AI agents will become a new type of network user

Another interesting development was the launch of Connection Agent by China Mobile Research Institute, Huawei, and GSMA Intelligence. It is designed as a gateway to connect and coordinate multiple AI agents, while providing dedicated network services for different types of agents.

Huawei said this reflects a shift from rule-based services toward agentic service orchestration, which could become a key foundation for the next generation of intelligent connectivity.

This suggests that future networks may need to support not only people and devices, but also large numbers of AI agents working on behalf of users or organizations. These agents may require different levels of network quality depending on their context and tasks.

From infrastructure to experience platforms

Huawei’s announcements at MWC Shanghai 2026 reflect a new phase of competition in the telecom industry.

Speed, coverage, and price will remain important foundations of networks. But the next challenge goes deeper: designing services that fit the real-world contexts in which people and organizations use connectivity.

Mobile AI, work on high-speed railways, intelligent home broadband, enterprise networks connected to computing power, and the rise of AI agents are expanding the role of telecom networks. Networks are moving from background systems that transmit data to critical infrastructure for new forms of digital experience.

In the future, telecom services may be measured by how well operators can turn networks into experiences that users can truly feel in everyday life. This could also become a new opportunity for operators to create value beyond traditional connectivity.

Igloo acquires Eazy Digital to strengthen regional insurance operating system and accelerate Thailand expansion

Igloo, Southeast Asia's full-stack insurtech company building the operating system for insurance, today announced the acquisition of Eazy Digital, a Singapore-headquartered insurtech company with operations across Thailand and Asia. Under the transaction, Eazy Digital's client base and Thailand team will be brought under Igloo. Harprem Doowa, Founder of Eazy Digital, will take on the role of Country Head of Igloo Thailand and Head of Tech Solutions APAC.

The acquisition is Igloo's second major transaction in Thailand within 12 months, following the 2025 joint venture with JMT Network Services, a subsidiary of the Jaymart Group, to build Thailand's first true digital insurer. 

Together, the two moves establish Thailand as one of Igloo's priority growth markets and extend the company's insurance operating system into a market where both embedded distribution and insurer-facing technology are needed at scale.

Expanding Igloo’s operating system for insurance in Southeast Asia

Igloo operates across six Southeast Asian markets and has facilitated over 1.6 billion policies to date, processing over 100 million policies every month through partnerships with more than 100 partners, including Chubb and MSIG. The company has raised more than US$100 million from investors including Eurazeo, Openspace Ventures, Cathay Innovation, and BlueOrchard to bring their AI-native operating system to insurers and platforms across the region.

Eazy Digital brings deep Asian market presence and helps insurers and brokers digitise agent management, streamline operations, and improve sales productivity through a unified digital platform. The startup’s technology stack directly complements Igloo Tech Solutions—Igloo’s suite of solutions covering the full insurance value chain—in enabling the digitalisation and distribution of insurance.

Established in 2022, the company counts Marsh Taiwan, Bangkok Insurance, Falcon Insurance, Gallagher, Chubb, and Tokio Marine Safety Insurance (Thailand) among its customers. Eazy Digital was also named the Most Disruptive InsurTech in Thailand at the InsuranceAsia News Country Awards for Excellence in 2024 and 2025.

Addressing Thailand's protection gap 

Thailand's insurance sector is entering a defining period of reform, with the 5th Insurance Development Plan (2026–2030) positioning insurance as a pillar of national economic resilience. While closing the country's persistent protection gaps requires insurers to reach underserved populations with affordable, relevant products at speed, most Thai insurers and intermediaries still run distribution, product configuration, and claims on legacy systems that take three to six months to launch a single product. 

Igloo Tech Solutions compresses those launch cycles from months to days. Its core platform uses AI to automate product configuration, underwriting rules, and claims adjudication, while distribution modules allow insurers to scale reach without building out new tech. 

“Thailand is one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic insurance markets, and we have been deliberate about building a meaningful footprint here,” said Raunak Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO of Igloo. “Eazy Digital has built real traction with insurers and intermediaries in Asia, led by the strength of Harprem and his team. Acquiring the company gives partners across Asia immediate access to the full Igloo stack, and gives us the local presence, team, and leadership to serve this market at scale.”

“This is an opportunity for Eazy to take our platform’s success and amplify it with the resources, technology, and reach of one of Southeast Asia’s largest insurtechs. Igloo’s existing ambitions for growth in Tech Solutions completely align with what we believe the future of insurance in Thailand requires,” said Harprem Doowa, Country Head of Igloo Thailand and Head of Tech Solutions APAC. 

Amity Robotics, a physical AI and robotics company, today announced the close of a US$7 million seed round combining equity and debt financing. The equity portion was led by East Ventures with participation from 500 Global, and the debt portion was led by AlteriQ Global. The capital will fund Amity Robotics’ mission to build a globally competitive physical AI and robotics company from Thailand.

At the center of the company’s platform is ARC Base, a static physical AI kiosk that acts as an AI concierge for the properties it serves. ARC Base is now live across more than 30 properties in Singapore, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with the company’s first European customer deployment coming in July. ARC Base is deployed with leading mall operators including Pavilion KL, Siam Piwat, The Mall Group, Pacific Place Jakarta, and across hotels operated by global groups including IHG, Accor, and Shangri La.

Amity Robotics assembles its own solutions and develops a proprietary “Robotic Operating System” that powers that powers its voice conversations and movements, maximizing customer experiences. It is also pioneering and developing Edge AI technology for it’s robots. The company will soon launch ARC Move, its first mobile robot, extending its physical AI platform beyond static kiosks. The ARC Move will be able to approach, help, and guide customers around stores and large properties. Amity Robotics is a sister company to the AI group, Amity, which recently closed a US$100 million Series D.

“We believe a world-class physical AI company can be built from Thailand and Southeast Asia. This round is a strong endorsement of that ambition, and of a future where AI steps into the physical world to serve people directly,” said Korawad Chearavanont, Chairman of Amity Robotics.

"We are thrilled to double down on our support for Korawad and the team by backing Amity Robotics as they build the future of physical AI from Southeast Asia. They have already proven their exceptional execution capabilities with this new venture, capturing immediate commercial viability through ARC Base deployments across major hotel brands and premier malls in seven markets. We look forward to supporting them as they build a world-class robotics powerhouse from Thailand and scale globally," said Willson Cuaca, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at East Ventures.

“The momentum behind ARC Base across malls and hotels in seven markets shows that physical AI is ready for real commercial deployment, not just pilots. This funding lets us deepen our integrations, scale operations, and bring Arc Move to market,” said Lionel Chin, Chief Operating Officer of Amity Robotics.

“The opportunity to be able to feed the AI to grow and evolve as well as the fast response time from ARC, made the implementation of the 2 units and the impact on our guests a worthy partnership.” Said Greg Gubiani, General Manager of the Crowne Plaza

AI Is Redefining the Role of Mobile Networks

David Wang, Huawei's Deputy Chairman of the Board and Rotating Chairman, said that over the past four decades, each generation of mobile technology has driven industry growth by improving spectrum efficiency, simplifying network architecture, and enabling new services.

However, in the AI era, mobile networks will no longer serve merely as data transmission infrastructure. Instead, they must support intelligent services, AI models, and AI agents that require real-time connectivity, ultra-low latency, and high-performance computing.

Six Priorities Shaping the Future of Mobile Communications

Huawei believes the next decade of telecom innovation will be defined by six key priorities:

• Developing new services and capabilities for future mobile communication systems
• Integrating AI into mobile communications
• Building integrated satellite-ground network architecture
• Promoting sustainable spectrum planning and allocation
• Defining AI-native core network standards
• Exploring new business models for mobile services

From Byte Monetization to Token Monetization

One of Huawei's key messages at MWC Shanghai 2026 was the industry's transition from Byte Monetization to Token Monetization.

Traditionally, telecom operators have generated revenue by selling data plans, network speed, and bandwidth. In the AI era, however, services such as AI assistants, AI glasses, smart home assistants, and AI agents are expected to become new revenue drivers, requiring high-performance, intelligent networks.

5G-A Will Become the Foundation of AI Services

Huawei stated that the global number of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) users has already surpassed 100 million. The company is working with telecom operators worldwide, including those in Thailand, to explore 5G-A Experience Monetization.

The goal is to make 5G-A more than just the next generation of mobile technology. It is expected to help operators retain premium subscribers, increase Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), and introduce new AI-driven services.

High Uplink Becomes a Competitive Advantage

Huawei emphasized that High Uplink will become a critical network capability in the AI era.

Unlike conventional mobile applications that primarily consume download bandwidth, AI-powered services continuously upload data for real-time processing.

For example, AI glasses capable of real-time translation or interactive exhibition guidance require approximately 20 Mbps uplink speed, making guaranteed upload performance, low latency, and network reliability increasingly important for telecom operators.

U6 GHz: A Key Spectrum for the AI Era

Huawei also highlighted Upper 6 GHz (U6 GHz) as one of the most important spectrum bands for next-generation mobile networks.

The company noted that more than 20 countries and regions have already designated U6 GHz for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), covering nearly 80% of the global population.

Huawei expects 2026 to mark the beginning of commercial U6 GHz deployments, with the Middle East leading the way, followed by selected operators in Hong Kong and Macao.

Introducing the AI-Centric Target Network

On the infrastructure side, Huawei unveiled its AI-Centric Target Network, a new network architecture designed to integrate connectivity and computing.

Rather than focusing solely on transporting traffic, future networks will support real-time interaction while dynamically scheduling computing resources across the entire network. In other words, connecting to the network will increasingly mean accessing AI computing power.

AI Will Power Autonomous Networks

Huawei is also advancing Level-4 Autonomous Networks, using AI to automate network maintenance, optimization, energy efficiency, and user experience management.

In 2026, Huawei plans to work with operators in multiple regions to deploy domain-specific AI across wireless and transport networks. This will enable differentiated network services for scenarios such as high-speed rail, large event venues, and university campuses.

A Turning Point for the Telecom Industry

According to Huawei, AI is driving a fundamental transformation of the telecommunications industry.

Competition will no longer focus solely on network speed or data volume. Instead, operators will compete on AI readiness, service experience, and their ability to integrate connectivity with computing power.

Huawei believes this shift represents a significant opportunity for operators to embrace Token Monetization, positioning mobile networks as the foundational infrastructure of the future AI economy.

Even as hiring sentiment across Asia Pacific and the Middle East (APME) moderated in Q3 2026, employers continue to indicate a willingness to pay a premium for skills including AI literacy as well as communication, collaboration, and teamwork, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

The survey of 13,168 employers across 11 APME countries and territories found that 43% of employers plan to increase headcount in the coming quarter, 15% anticipate a decrease in staffing levels, while 41% expect no change. This results in a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of +28%, down 10 points from Q2 2026, while remaining unchanged year over year.

Hiring sentiment across APME markets eased in Q3, with most reporting quarteronquarter declines. China (+4) and Türkiye (+1) were the only markets to record quarteronquarter  improvements. Despite a 20point decrease from the previous quarter, India (+48%) continues to report the strongest hiring outlook in the region, and globally, followed by China (+33%) and Vietnam (+28%). At the other end of the spectrum, hiring sentiment is weakest in markets including Hong Kong (9%), Japan (+1%), and Singapore (+13%).

“The broad moderation in hiring sentiment across the region reflects a far more complex operating environment in Q3, shaped by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and rising cost pressures,” said François Lançon, Regional President, Asia Pacific & Middle East, ManpowerGroup. “These forces are affecting markets unevenly, dampening confidence in more trade and energyexposed economies, while growth markets with strong domestic demand and technology momentum show relative resilience. Even so, employers are taking a more cautious approach to hiring as the downstream effects of higher energy and operating costs continue to unfold.”

Skills Employers Are Investing In

Beyond hiring intentions, the survey examined which technical and interpersonal skills employers are willing to pay a premium for in the coming quarter, highlighting where organizations are concentrating their talent investment.

AIrelated capabilities lead technical skills demand. More than twothirds (69%) of employers in APME report being willing to pay a premium for AI literacy skills, while 68% cite AI model and application development skills. This is followed by sales and marketing skills (66%), and traditional IT and data skills (64%).

Across markets in the region, AI literacy is the top technical capability employers in Singapore (66%) and Vietnam (83%) are willing to pay a premium for, while AI model and application development ranks as the leading skill in India (84%), China (73%), Hong Kong (67%), and Israel (69%). 

When it comes to soft skills, employers are most willing to pay a premium for communication, collaboration, and teamwork (74%), and critical thinking and problemsolving (71%), closely followed by adaptability and willingness to learn (70%), professionalism and work ethic (70%), and time management and prioritization (68%). 

“Employers across the region are investing their hiring budgets with intent, prioritizing skills that drive impact today and strengthen competitiveness tomorrow. AI capability, from everyday literacy to advanced model and application development, is crucial, but its true value is realized when combined with strong human skills such as collaboration, problemsolving, and adaptability. This reinforces the importance of a humanfirst, digitalalways approach—centering workforce strategy on people, while leveraging technology to meet immediate business needs now and prepare organizations for what comes next,” Lançon said.

To view the complete results for the Q3 2026 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, including regional and country data, visit: https://www.manpowerthailand.com/en/meos

Vision Lab, a San Francisco-based startup led by a Thai MIT graduate, has raised $6M in funding from leading Silicon Valley investors. The company is now expanding its global network of factory partners to help build the data infrastructure needed for the next generation of industrial robots.

Robots are getting smarter, but before they can work effectively in factories, they need to learn from real people performing real tasks. Like an apprentice, a robot can learn by observing a technician tighten a bolt, sort parts, or operate a machine.

The challenge is that there is still very little industrial data available for training robotics systems. While large language models were built on internet-scale datasets, no equivalent dataset exists for physical work inside factories. 

Vision Lab helps bridge that gap. The company partners with manufacturers to capture and structure operational knowledge into datasets used by frontier AI labs and robotics companies. The startup counts three of the Magnificent Seven technology companies among its clients. 

Today, Vision Lab works with more than 2,000 factories across Asia and Africa, mainly in China and India, and is looking to deepen its presence in Southeast Asia. 

"Factories represent where a large share of future robots will be deployed, yet industrial environments remain vastly underrepresented in existing datasets," said James Kujareevanich, CEO of Vision Lab and former McKinsey consultant.

James later attended MIT, where he met his co-founder, an MIT PhD researcher. Together, they founded Vision Lab to address one of the biggest bottlenecks facing physical AI: access to high-quality, real-world training data.

How Partner Factories Benefit

Vision Lab collaborates with manufacturing partners to collect data from real production activities, capturing video and operational workflows from factory floors to support the development of robotics foundation models.

To date, participating factories have collectively earned more than $1 million in data licensing revenue through the program. Participation is designed to have minimal impact on normal factory operations, allowing manufacturers to contribute safely and efficiently.

Beyond generating additional revenue, the partnership also creates an opportunity for factories to become among the first to gain access to emerging AI robotics technologies as they move from research into real-world deployment.

"We are not just building a data layer," James added. "Our long-term goal is to help robotics systems operate reliably in real production environments while making automation more accessible to manufacturers around the world."

About Vision Lab

Vision Lab provides real-world industrial data to leading AI labs and robotics companies. Founded by researchers from MIT and Stanford alongside operators from McKinsey and BCG, the company is headquartered in San Francisco.

Manufacturers interested in joining the Vision Lab partner network can generate additional revenue while gaining early access to the future of industrial robotics. For more information, contact founders@thevisionlab.ai.

Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII) has been selected as the only institution from Thailand for the Future Universities Alliance’s inaugural Innovation Sandbox, a 12-month global peer-learning program incubated at Duke University to share breakthrough educational models and drive real change in higher education worldwide.

CSII will participate under the “Amplifying Signature Innovations” pathway, which is designed for institutions with mature, high-impact innovations seeking to expand their reach beyond their home institution. 

Through the Innovation Sandbox, CSII will contribute insights from the development of the Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation (BAScii), Chulalongkorn University’s interdisciplinary international program that integrates innovation, entrepreneurship, project-based learning, industry collaboration, and real-world problem-solving. Since its founding in 2018, CSII has nurtured over 30 student-led startups, building a strong track record of venture creation and impact.

“CSII represents a new hope for higher education in Thailand and the region. Being selected for the Future Universities Alliance’s inaugural Innovation Sandbox opens a new chapter where we look forward to seeing how that hope can grow and inspire change on a global scale,” said Professor Dr. Suchada Sukrong, Executive Director, Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation.

As Chulalongkorn University’s sandbox for integrated innovation education, CSII has piloted new approaches to interdisciplinary, venture-oriented, and industry-engaged learning. Its participation in the Innovation Sandbox reflects the School’s continued commitment to advancing higher education models that prepare students to address complex global challenges.

“This selection reflects CSII’s role as Chulalongkorn University’s platform for innovation in higher education, preparing learners not only for careers, but for life and wise contributions to society,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation.

The Innovation Sandbox brings participating institutions together around active challenges in higher education innovation. As Thailand’s only representative in the inaugural cohort, CSII joins institutions from Australia, Botswana, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Tanzania, Türkiye, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

“Higher education is not short of innovation, but it is short of the structures needed to connect that innovation, help it travel, and make it durable. The Innovation Sandbox is our answer to that gap. We are pleased to convene this inaugural cohort and grateful for the trust these institutions have placed in one another to work together in this Alliance,” said Noah Pickus, Founder, Future Universities Alliance and Head of Global Strategy and Partnerships, Duke University.

CSII will engage in monthly facilitated small-group sessions, structured milestone meetings, and the Alliance Global Summit in Durham, North Carolina, United States, from October 3 to 5, 2026. The program runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

More information about the Future Universities Alliance and the full list of participating institutions is available at futureuniversities.org