Asia School of Business hosts inaugural AI-Powered Leadership Conference

YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, Malaysia, has listed requirements for leaders in the age of AI. In his welcome address for the AI-Powered Leadership Conference, hosted by the Asia School of Business (ASB) in Kuala Lumpur, the minister welcomed the gathering of leaders who recognise the importance of AI. 

“Leadership in the new age of intelligence demands trust and transparency to drive growth and return on investment. Beyond managing teams, leaders must understand AI's ethical implications for jobs and equity, proactively anticipating risks like algorithmic bias and cybersecurity.

"Corporate leaders must adopt human-centred AI principles, ensuring technology serves people first by augmenting human judgment and enhancing the human touch, rather than dictating or eroding it,” he said, adding that leaders must invest in people as seriously as they invest in technology.

The opening keynote was delivered by AI pioneer Professor De Kai, author of the MIT Press book Raising AI, appearing for the first time in Malaysia. Known for building the web’s first language translator and developing the language models that later powered Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google Translate, he is one also a Founding Fellow at the Association for Computational Linguistics. 

“Artificial Intelligence are not gods or slaves. They’re attention-seeking children who want your approval. We are not parenting them but they are already influencing us unconsciously, and it will continue to influence us even more if we keep thinking of them as mechanical tools,” Professor De Kai shared.

Source: ASB. From left: Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Azi, former Bank Negara Malaysia governor; Professor De Kai, author of Raising AI and pioneer of AI and language technologies; YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital Malaysia; Brian A. Wong, former Alibaba executive and entrepreneur; and Professor Joe Cherian, CEO, President, Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Asia School of Business.

The AI-Powered Leadership Conference convened global AI pioneers, CEOs, regional innovators, and policymakers to explore the future of leadership in an AI-powered world. Participants explored next-generation AI models, leadership, cybersecurity, responsible adoption, human-centred leadership and long-term competitiveness at the ASB, which was set up by Bank Negara Malaysia in collaboration with MIT Sloan School of Management (MIT Sloan). 

"As intelligent systems become central to national strategy, corporate competitiveness, and cross-border collaboration, leaders today must pair technical literacy with sound judgement and ethical clarity. This is why ASB is proud to host this conference: to ensure our region’s decision-makers are equipped to navigate AI’s sweeping impact across economies and societies," said Joe Cherian, CEO, President, Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Asia School of Business. 

"ASB has invested deeply in these capabilities through our Micro-Credential in AI for Business Leaders, our Certified AI Leader and Certified AI Practitioner executive education programmes, and an expanding suite of AI-integrated offerings across our learning pathways. Our goal is straightforward ‒ to help organisations lead AI-driven transformation with confidence, accountability, and long-term competitiveness.” 

Dato’ Sr Azmar Talib, CEO of TRX City highlighted the importance of AI-ready leadership as a critical foundation for a thriving financial ecosystem. 

He said: “AI is reshaping global finance and Malaysia must stay ahead of the curve. At TRX, we see AI-ready leadership as a fundamental driver of competitiveness. Our partnership with ASB reflects our commitment to building an international financial centre that attracts top talent, accelerates innovation and strengthens Malaysia’s position in the region. TRX is proud to support that momentum."

TRX City is a strategic partner for the conference. The organisation drives the growth of Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), Malaysia’s international financial centre.