CGS and Tencent Come Together to Spotlight Research on “Technology for Good”
Held at NUS Business School, the academic conference “Technology for Good: Driving Social Impact” attracted about 100 attendees.
By Harshali Shinde, President, NUS MBA Sustainability, Ethics and Impact (SEI) Club
On 19 November 2025, Tencent and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School’s Centre for Governance and Sustainability (CGS), with support from the China Association for NGO Cooperation (CANGO), co-hosted the academic conference “Technology for Good: Driving Social Impact”. Gathering about 100 academics, industry leaders, and policymakers, the event explored how technology can advance inclusion, equity, and social progress across Asia and beyond.
The day opened with keynote addresses that set a reflective tone. Distinguished Professor Andrew Rose, Dean, NUS Business School, highlighted artificial intelligence’s accelerating societal impact and stressed the need for ethical and inclusive technological development. Mr Xiao Liming, Tencent Vice President of Sustainable Social Value, underscored the long-standing China–Singapore partnership and reaffirmed Tencent’s commitment to embedding social value into its corporate strategy. Ms Xu Xiaoxiao, Deputy-Secretary General, CANGO, described the sector’s shift from traditional charity to data-driven approaches, emphasising the need for partnerships that ensure digital tools reach vulnerable communities. Concluding the segment, Dr Ming Tan, Senior Fellow and Founding Executive Director, Tech for Good Institute; Senior Fellow, CGS, called for people-centred innovation and illustrated how well-designed digital solutions can expand opportunity across Southeast Asia.
MOU Signing for Deepened Collaboration
To formalise their collaboration, Prof Rose and Mr Xiao signed a Memorandum of Understanding, witnessed by Prof Lawrence Loh, Director, CGS and Dr James Li Tsz Shu, Vice President of Public Affairs Department, Tencent. Prof Rose also presented tokens of appreciation to Tencent and CANGO for their continued support.
Research Presentations on Diverse Topics
A key feature of the conference was the diversity of research showcased. The call for papers attracted 134 submissions from across five continents, with 60 proposals shortlisted to develop into full research papers, commentaries or videos. The final submissions, presentations and posters at the conference reflected the complex challenges at the intersection of technology and social impact. Many focused on responsible and inclusive AI—exploring psychological safety in chatbots, cross-cultural ethical alignment, governance frameworks, information pollution, and safer agentic AI. Others examined how digital platforms influence society, from philanthropic innovation and grassroots technology in underserved communities to migrant entrepreneurship and civic-sector collaboration. Several presentations analysed Gen Z’s digital habits, including privacy norms and self-regulation, while cross-regional studies highlighted contrasting visions of a “good AI society”. Together, the papers demonstrated the growing depth and interdisciplinarity of “Technology for Good” research.
Engaging Panel Discussion “AI for Global Equity: Bridging the Digital Divide and Unlocking Potential”
The research presentations were followed by an engaging panel discussion moderated by Ms Miro Lu, Founder and Managing Director of Perspective Media; Editor-in-Chief at Asia Tech Lens. The panellists included Mr Benjamin Goh, Senior Assistant Director at Singapore’s National AI Group; Asst Prof Jingyang Huang, School of Public Policy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen); Mr Kenneth Siow, Regional Director for Southeast Asia and General Manager (Singapore and Malaysia) at Tencent Cloud International; and Mr Tim Zhang, Founder and CEO of Edge Research; Senior Fellow, CGS.
The discussion began by examining whether Southeast Asia’s rapid AI-driven transformation would broaden opportunity or deepen inequality. Mr Goh outlined AI’s development in two waves—from ChatGPT’s breakthrough to the emergence of models like DeepSeek—and argued that Singapore’s neutrality and openness position it as a natural hub for global AI innovation. Asst Prof Huang discussed how Chinese technology firms, having experience operating across diverse and unevenly developed markets, can help Southeast Asia bridge its digital divide through localised and inclusive solutions.
Mr Siow highlighted the region’s diversity—not only between countries but also across industries, cities, and family-run enterprises at different stages of digital maturity. Drawing on Tencent Cloud’s experience supporting platforms like WeChat, he explained how the company adapts AI and agentic AI to address real-world challenges across varied markets. Offering an investment perspective, Mr Zhang cautioned against signs of an emerging “AI bubble”, noting the gap between surging capital expenditure and still-limited realised returns, particularly among leading US companies. He also expressed concerns about potential job disruption and emphasised the need for responsible AI diffusion.
The conversation then turned to AI safety and governance. Mr Goh outlined Singapore’s “light but serious” regulatory approach—supporting innovation while providing essential guardrails through government-developed testing and mitigation tools. Mr Siow added that companies must pair innovation with strong commitments to ethics, compliance, and anti-abuse technologies. The panel closed with a shared recognition that while AI offers enormous promise, guardrails, public education, and human-centred values are essential to ensure its benefits are widely and safely realised.
The conference concluded with an awards ceremony honouring outstanding research. Among the awards, the Best Paper Award went to Yukun Zhang and Tianyang Zhang from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Macau. The research presents a comprehensive economic model addressing information pollution resulting from the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI).
The Best Commentary Award was clinched by Zhaoxuan Yuan, Siyi Liu, Mika-Erik Moeser and Marielle Düh from the Hertie School, University College London, and Berlin Social Science Centre. The commentary compares the fundamentally different approaches to regulating AI in China and the European Union, examining how these regulations shape the concept of a “good AI society”. The full list of the winners can be found at the press release.
Prof Loh closed the day by thanking all presenters, participants, and partners for their forward-looking contributions. The discussions and award-winning studies reinforced a shared conviction: that technological progress must be guided by responsibility, collaboration, and a commitment to human well-being. As the conversations continue, the path towards technology that genuinely serves the common good remains bright—and full of possibilities.
