Artificial Intelligence has entered the workforce at a pace unseen in past technological shifts. However, the latest findings from the Anthropic Economic Index make clear that its benefits are not equally distributed.
Singapore, long a leader in tech adoption, stands out with an AI Usage Index of 4.57, reflecting its skilled workforce, strong digital infrastructure, and supportive policy landscape. This puts it ahead of many advanced economies, underscoring its role as a global AI hub.
Yet, the same data highlights a troubling imbalance. Despite their demographic weight and entrepreneurial energy, emerging economies such as Indonesia, India, and Nigeria are far behind on a per capita basis.
The correlation with income and infrastructure is unsurprising, but the implications are significant. The divide between rich and developing nations may widen if AI-powered productivity gains accrue disproportionately to high-adoption economies.
The narrative of technology as a great equaliser is under threat. Instead, AI risks accelerating divergence, locking structural disadvantages for lower-income economies.
For Southeast Asia, the challenge is clear: to expand digital infrastructure, invest in human capital, and create regulatory clarity that enables broader participation. Without this, AI’s promise of inclusive progress could give way to a new era of inequality.
REGIONAL
Singapore tops global AI hiring charts: One in six jobs now reference AI
The distribution of AI references highlights intense focus areas within the Singaporean economy | Roles in data & analytics led the adoption charge, featuring AI mentions in 57 per cent of postings | This was closely followed by roles in software development (39 per cent), scientific research (35 per cent), and industrial engineering (33 per cent).
Ayoconnect denies US$5M in alleged dubious transactions amid audit
The Jakarta-based fintech firm is undergoing an audit initiated by one of its investors, Mandiri Capital Indonesia (MCI) | Co-founder Chiragh Kirpalani says that the alleged dubious transactions are a “misunderstanding” and will be clarified once the audit is completed.
Professionalised crypto crime: 2025 becomes third-worst year on record
CryptoPresales.com reports that the number of crypto scams and thefts halved in 2025, yet total losses climbed to US$2.34B | This unprecedented loss figure is 35 per cent higher than the total recorded in 2024.
Stablecoins could unlock US$6.2T for ASEAN SMEs: Metacomp study
MetaComp’s whitepaper identifies five key inefficiencies, pointing out that daily global FX trading volumes exceed US$7.5T, yet blockchain-based settlements account for less than five per cent annually.
Coinbase, StraitsX set to launch XSGD stablecoin
This will allow users in Singapore and globally to access the Singapore dollar-pegged digital asset | StraitsX issues stablecoins including XSGD and XUSD | Coinbase said XSGD complies with the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s upcoming regulations for single-currency stablecoins.
Thunes’s sister company acquires eSIM platform operator
The company DT One has acquired Dent Telecom (now Tunz), an embedded telecom company with an eSIM platform | DT One is a Singapore-based provider of cross-border digital transfer services for businesses | Tunz enables users in over 140 countries to purchase mobile data and install eSIMs via an app.
SG’s Antares Ventures joins German startup’s US$7.55M funding round
enaDyne develops non-thermal plasma catalysis reactors that convert greenhouse gases into chemicals | The company aims to offer its technology to industries such as semiconductors, petrochemicals, and biogas, which face pressure to decarbonise.
TikTok Shop launches US$4.74M stimulus package to boost digital economy in Malaysia
Through its new #JomLokal Booster Stimulus Package, TikTok Shop will provide enhanced support for local MSMEs and homegrown products |
Participating MSMEs can utilise any of the TikTok Shop LIVE Hubs across Malaysia free-of-charge for up to ten sessions each (two hours per session).
Singapore Fashion Council backs Loom Carbon to tackle textile waste
Loom Carbon utilises a proprietary, science-led approach that adapts proven pyrolysis technology | Its modular pyrolysis system converts mixed discarded textiles into high-value circular materials | These resultant materials include bio black and renewable oil, which can then be utilised as low-carbon fuels or precursors for new textile production.
US payment firm Yuno opens SG hub, expands to China
The New York-headquartered company aims to simplify cross-border payments for merchants | The firm has also introduced NOVA, an AI-powered tool designed to help merchants recover failed payments via customer outreach on phone and WhatsApp.
REPORTS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS
Anthropic index shows AI boom risks widening global inequality
The stark disparity in AI adoption raises critical questions about global economic convergence | If the productivity gains afforded by AI concentrate in high-adoption economies like Singapore, current patterns suggest the benefits may accrue primarily to already-rich regions.
Anthropic data shows businesses use AI to automate, not collaborate
The data shows that 77 per cent of business API usage involves automation usage patterns, primarily full task delegation, where the AI completes a task with minimal back-and-forth | This is significantly higher than on the consumer-facing Claude.ai platform, where the split between automation and augmentation is nearly even, at approximately 50 per cent automation.
AI adoption evolves: Knowledge, confidence, and code creation soar
While computer and mathematical tasks still dominate overall usage at 36 per cent, there is sustained growth in knowledge-intensive fields | Educational instruction and library tasks surged from 9 per cent to 12 per cent of sampled conversations | Similarly, life, physical, and social science tasks increased from 6 per cent to 7 per cent.
EV adoption in the Philippines gains momentum, but challenges in financing and technicalities remain
Opportunities are emerging to accelerate the sector’s growth | One key measure is battery leasing, which lowers operators’ upfront costs | Battery leasing services should significantly reduce the upfront cost of vehicles, greatly pushing their market attractiveness.
INTERNATIONAL
Trump said to sign TikTok US deal on September 25
The agreement involves the divestment of TikTok’s US operations from ByteDance, its China-based parent company | Oracle and PE firm Silver Lake are among the investors in the deal | The White House previously said the arrangement will fulfil requirements set by a 2024 law concerning TikTok’s US ownership.
Australia plans crypto fines under new rules
A draft legislation recommends to impose penalties of up to 10 per cent of annual turnover on digital asset platform operators that breach new proposed rules | Cryptocurrency exchanges and other platforms will be required to obtain an Australian Financial Services License.
China warns ByteDance, Alibaba over trending content violations
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said Toutiao promoted “unhealthy content” in hot searches, while UCWeb spread “sensitive and malicious topics” about cyberbullying and children’s privacy | CAC summoned company representatives, issued official warnings, and ordered staff discipline with deadlines for compliance.
Temasek joins US$136M Series C for blockchain payment firm Fnality
Fnality operates wholesale payment systems using distributed ledger technology and is regulated by central banks | The company launched its Sterling Fnality Payment System in the UK in December 2023 and is working to expand its network to support more currencies and new payment solutions.
Kakao Pay, Japan’s PayPay partner on offline payments in Korea
The partnership allows PayPay users in Japan to make offline payments at over 2 million merchants in South Korea | PayPay is one of Japan’s largest cashless payment providers, with more than 70 million registered users | This marks PayPay’s first time enabling cross-border payments outside Japan.
SEMICONDUCTOR
Nvidia, Nokia join US$1.1B Series B for UK AI firm Nscale
Spun out from Australian cryptocurrency mining firm Arkon Energy in 2023, Nscale develops data centres designed for AI workloads | The funding will support Nscale’s AI data centre projects across Europe, including facilities for OpenAI’s Stargate initiative in the UK and Norway.
Nvidia’s investment in OpenAI includes cash, leased GPUs
Nvidia plans to invest up to US$100B in OpenAI, with most of the funds expected to be spent on Nvidia’s own GPUs | The investment will be deployed as new AI supercomputing facilities come online, starting with a site in Abilene, Texas, in the second half of 2026.
TSMC to build US$16.5B chip plant in central Taiwan
The company, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, aims to start production at the facility in 2028 with its most advanced process technology | The expected production value of the new fab is projected at up to US$16.5B, which is higher than previous estimates.
Alibaba integrates Nvidia’s AI software into its cloud platform
This will allow users to access Nvidia’s Physical AI software stack for projects like robotics and autonomous vehicles | The offering will be part of its Platform for AI, expanding options for developers | The move follows CEO Eddie Wu’s announcement to increase investment in AI infrastructure beyond the previously stated US$53B.
TSMC uses AI to boost chip energy efficiency
TSMC, which produces chips for Nvidia, said advances in chip design – using multiple smaller “chiplets” combined in a single package – could increase efficiency by up to 10x | The company is also adopting AI-powered design tools from Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys, which it said were able to outperform human engineers in some complex design tasks, and complete them faster.
AI
Alibaba’s AI push drives it to top China tech stock
The firm’s Hong Kong-listed shares surged 50 per cent in September 2025, the best performance on the Hang Seng Tech Index, driven by investor enthusiasm for its AI push | Alibaba boosted AI spending and announced a partnership with Nvidia, which lifted market confidence.
How can Malaysia leverage AI for growth and not see it as a threat?
As Malaysia delves deeper into the AI landscape, it’s clear that despite its growing accessibility, there remain substantial concerns impeding its widespread adoption in workplaces | These include technological limitations, risks to privacy and security, resistance stemming from cultural factors, and a shortage of AI-skilled professionals.
From promise to payoff: AI’s test amid global trade tensions
Across Asia Pacific, businesses implementing AI and automation are expected to achieve 20-30 per cent reductions in operational costs and over 40 per cent gains in efficiency | Deloitte’s Global Intelligent Automation survey found that organisations that advanced their automation efforts reported average cost savings of 32 per cent.
Is the future of AI decentralised? Cloud computing holds the key
The availability of hybrid and multi-cloud options play a critical role in developing blockchain infrastructure, enabling interoperability and decentralisation | They also address data residency concerns for organisations operating across multiple jurisdictions by storing sensitive data within designated geographic regions, minimising the risk of data breaches and regulatory non-compliance.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Markets on edge: Fed ambiguity fuels risk-off mood as Aster surges amid crypto bloodbath
By August 2025, Hyperliquid surpassed Ethereum and Solana in user fee revenues, commanding a 75 to 80 per cent market share in perpetual DEX volumes at its peak | Its token, HYPE, traded at a US$15B market cap as of September 23, with daily volumes hitting US$200B and a total value locked exceeding US$670M.
Balancing personalisation and privacy in business marketing
Personalisation tailors interactions to meet individual preferences and needs, making each customer feel uniquely valued | For instance, a survey in the Asia-Pacific region found that 30 per cent of respondents felt an increase in trust toward brands that effectively used technology to personalise their experiences.
The rise of agentic AI: What CFOs and Founders need to know
Agentic AI will reshape work, decision-making, and customer experiences | But the organisations that benefit won’t be the ones that automate the fastest | They’ll be the ones that design these systems around what truly matters: human insight, trust, and resilience.
Cybersecurity for retail: How to avoid e-crimes
Just as retailers are searching for and employing new cyber defences, cybercriminals are evolving in their methodology and craft | Criminal organisations are adapting their tactics, techniques and procedures to stay ahead of security teams through legitimate employee credential harvesting and exploitation of new vulnerabilities from remote access applications, to name a few.
The human-algorithm dynamic: Transforming venture capital with predictive analytics
Algorithms and predictive analytics, though not a substitute for human acumen, have become instrumental in assessing startups efficiently | While these algorithms cannot directly identify “unicorns” (startups valued over a billion dollars), they serve as complex models that help navigate the investment landscape.
Founders’ blind spot: Lessons in money management
In the fast-moving startup world, businesses need real-time insights into their cash position so they can pivot quickly when conditions change | Solutions that create administrative overhead or obscure risks do more harm than good.
Why Singapore’s real estate is stuck in the past
Modernising Singapore’s property market isn’t about radical disruption; it’s about reimagining the digital infrastructure | Proptechs and regulators have a unique opportunity to collaborate and treat property technology as essential digital infrastructure, not just a platform for classifieds.
Disclaimer: The story “Ecosystem Roundup: Anthropic warns of AI inequality | Ayoconnect denies US$5M audit claims | Singapore leads AI hiring” first appeared on e27 and is syndicated via Digpu & NewsTex.