Economist Impact recently sat down with Orbit Managing Director William Bao Bean and The AI Living Lab founder Arvind Sethumadhavan to discuss the opportunities and risks around AI investments in Asia-Pacific as part of the podcast series “Shelter from the storm: Investing in the era of uncertainty.”

Asia-Pacific’s spending on AI will reach around $50 billion in 2026. What AI can offer is almost limitless, but the opportunities don’t come without risks. Learn about the new business models emerging from the expanding industry applications of AI such as MotionsCloud and VideoVerse, and how investors can leverage the associated investment opportunities.

“AI is not an industry. It’s an enabling technology that can drive real transformation both in traditional industries and online, from e-commerce to media to the future of work.

William Bao Bean, Managing Director of Orbit

“Hype is usually when you have a lot of promise, but not a lot of profit. We’re seeing so far the opposite, where companies are able to monetize because they’re driving so much value to customers with this transformational technology,” William added.

At The AI Living Lab, Arvind is advocating for the ‘human + machine’ rhetoric. “For too long it’s been ‘human vs. machine.’ It’s time for leaders to start embracing how AI can augment the workforce for businesses as well as for the greater good of society.”