Asia Tech Podcast

Artificial intelligence has long promised to transform the way businesses operate, but only now are we beginning to see its full potential realized. Early waves of AI focused on prediction and content generation, offering useful but limited support. The newest evolution—autonomous agents—goes further by reasoning, sequencing tasks, and taking meaningful action.In this episode of ATP, Gavin Barfield, CTO and VP of Solution Engineering for ASEAN at Salesforce, explains how this “third wave” of AI is transforming the way businesses operate.Some of the topics that Gavin covered in detail include:The history of AI in business can be broken into waves. We are now entering the autonomous agent era, where AI doesn’t just suggest, but acts.The leap from generative to autonomous AI isn’t just about bigger language models—it’s about the rise of reasoning engines.Autonomous AI is only as good as the data it uses.Far from being merely theoretical, autonomous AI is already proving itself and early use cases are delivering!Gavin stressed that AI agents are not about eliminating humans, but about freeing them from low-value tasks and enabling them to do more meaningful ones.Gavin posited that CEOs will no longer manage purely human workforces. Instead, they will oversee a hybrid of digital agents and human employees.

In many emerging markets, traditional credit systems fail to serve the underbanked because they rely on formal employment records and financial histories that many people simply don’t have. But access to credit doesn’t have to be limited to those with paperwork.In this episode of ATP, we talk to Rene Payan, Country Manager for the Philippines at PayJoy who explains how PayJoy is changing that reality by using smartphones as digital collateral and AI-powered risk models to “find a yes” instead of defaulting to “no.”Some of the topics that Rene covers in detail include:For decades, the underserved and underbanked have been locked out of formal financial systems because they lacked traditional credit histories. PayJoy challenges that orthodoxy with a powerful shift in mindset: instead of searching for reasons to deny credit, the company actively searches for reasons to approve it.Smartphones can be more than devices, PayJoy has developed a unique approach to underwriting: it uses a smartphone’s functionality as digital collateral.PayJoy didn’t start out as a lender. The company originally offered its technology via SaaS to third-party lenders. But when partners failed to replicate PayJoy’s commitment to "finding a yes," PayJoy doubled down on direct lending.Long before AI became a buzzword, PayJoy was deploying machine learning to refine its pricing strategies and risk assessments. The goal isn’t just approval—but optimized approval.What PayJoy is building is not just a credit business, but an embedded finance ecosystem. Customers encounter financial services not in banks, but at retail counters while buying a phone.

Traditional financial systems rely heavily on trust—trust in banks, brokers, custodians, and exchanges. But emerging technologies like blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) are challenging this model by introducing a trustless, self-custodied approach to asset management. In this episode of ATP, Srikumar Misra, Founder of aarnâ Protocol, explains how decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain technology are reshaping investment and asset management. He breaks down the evolving landscape of digital assets into three key categories: Bitcoin as a store of value, utility-based native tokens, and tokenized real-world assets like real estate or art.Some of the topics Srikumar discussed in detail include:Digital Assets Aren’t One Thing—They’re a SpectrumAccess, Not Just Innovation, Is the Real BreakthroughTrustless systems challenge the status quo. DeFi’s foundational concept of "trustless" finance doesn’t mean mistrust—it means removing the need to trust third-party intermediaries.User Experience Will Make or Break DeFi’s FutureLiquidity and slippage are serious concerns. While DeFi is maturing, it faces critical challenges with liquidity fragmentation. Liquidity infrastructure still lags behind TradFi, which handles trillions in daily volume with minimal price disruption.

The global fashion and consumer goods industries are facing a growing crisis of overproduction and overconsumption. Despite already having enough garments in circulation to clothe several future generations, fast fashion continues to flood the market with new items.In this episode of ATP, Louise Blein and Amarine Erbs, co-founders of Yours, explore how overconsumption and the fast fashion industry have created a crisis of excess. They share their personal motivations for starting Yours—a safer, community-focused secondhand platform—and how their experiences as expats highlighted the wasteful repetition of buying new things with each move.Some of the topics Louise and Amarine covered in detail include:Sustainability in fashion isn’t optional—it’s urgent. With 1.6 billion parcels shipped daily by air, we’re burning resources at both ends of the supply chain.Gen Z, the same generation that craves newness is driving secondhand growth. This duality—wanting both novelty and sustainability—is shaping the modern marketplace.Our closets and cupboards are overstuffed not out of necessity but as a proxy for comfort, identity, or status. This is not a fashion problem—it’s a human problem.A circular marketplace can’t just be a platform—it must be a community. Yours isn’t just a transactional space—it’s a social ecosystem. By attending events, partnering with donation centers, and prioritizing offline engagement, they’re creating a network that supports and educates.Thailand is the right place to build this—culturally and technologically. The country's digital infrastructure, growing startup ecosystem, and openness to social commerce make it a powerful launchpad—not just for Thailand, but for Southeast Asia and beyond.

Digital commerce in Asia is undergoing a profound transformation. The rise of mobile payments, government-backed payment rails, and local digital wallets is reshaping how people pay and how businesses operate. This shift is driven not only by convenience but by necessity, as financial inclusion increasingly depends on the ability to support local payment methods.In this episode of ATP, we speak with Deborah Im, about the fast-moving evolution of digital commerce in Asia.Some of the topics that Deborah covered in detail include:Payment optionality Is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic necessity. It’s the key to unlocking customer access and revenue.Government-built payment rails could be FinTech’s biggest competitors as PayNow (Singapore), UPI (India), and PromptPay (Thailand) are offering free or nearly free money transfers—domestically and cross-border.Data localization laws are fragmenting the internet—and potentially slowing innovation. AI has transformed legal and operational work—but still needs better data access.Asia is winning the FinTech race because it’s still scrappy. Its dynamism comes not from copying the West, but from building solutions tailored to fragmented, cash-heavy, mobile-first economies.

Dipen Mehta, EVP & GM for APAC at Softserve, shares insights on the transformative potential of quantum computing in financial services. He explains how qubits enable massive parallel processing, setting the stage for unprecedented computational capabilities. The discussion highlights the complementary nature of quantum and classical computing, and the urgent need for skilled professionals. Mehta envisions a future where AI merges with quantum tech, creating hyper-personalized financial solutions while addressing security challenges.

Travel is evolving far beyond flights and hotel bookings. Today, technology—particularly artificial intelligence—is transforming how people choose destinations, plan trips, and engage with local experiences. From AI-powered travel planning tools to immersive digital environments that let travelers explore a place before arriving, the focus is shifting from convenience to personalization.ATP went to the Travel & Tech Asia 2025 event in at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, where thought leaders from across the travel industry revealed how technology is fundamentally reshaping how people discover, book, and experience travel.Artificial intelligence emerged as a driving force, not just for automating tasks, but for creating deeply personalized and intuitive interactions—from chat-based trip planning to virtual hotel walk-throughs using digital twins. AI is also helping hotels manage high volumes of guests, respond instantly to reviews, and even bridge language gaps, making the travel experience smoother for both tourists and locals.Equally important was the role of frictionless infrastructure. Cloud-based hotel systems now let owners manage properties from anywhere, while smart payment orchestration ensures transactions go through even when the first attempt fails. Meanwhile, immersive experiences—like Muay Thai fights enhanced with projection mapping—demonstrated how blending culture and technology can create emotional connections with travelers and amazing travel experiences!As someone who’s spent years talking to technologists, entrepreneurs, and industry experts, I can confidently say: something seismic is happening in travel. Not just in how we go places—but in how we decide where to go, how we experience the destination, and how platforms build loyalty and create seamless, intelligent experiences.

Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly across Asia, not only because of its economic potential but also due to the region’s strong appetite for innovation and global competitiveness. Countries are embracing AI to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and create smarter business strategies.ATP spoke to Adrian Johnson, Senior VP and General Manager Americas and Asia Pacific at Hitachi Vantara about how countries like Singapore and China are not just experimenting with AI—they’re leading.Some of the topics Adrian covered in detail include:Asia is the “market of the 21st century. With rapid economic development, fierce internal competition, and a drive for global relevance, Asia is leaping forward.Infrastructure built for yesterday can’t handle AI today. One of the biggest challenges companies face is that their current IT infrastructure simply wasn’t built for AI’s compute-heavy, high-performance demands.AI promises to level the playing field—but only if SMEs can access the tools. "AI-as-a-Service” could enable that, allowing SMEs to plug into powerful AI tools without building from scratch.No matter how powerful an AI model is, poor data quality guarantees poor outcomes. Getting data quality right is of the utmost importance.The next phase of AI is not just about private models—it’s about sovereign ones. These models will be geographically and legally confined, ensuring they comply with local laws and cultural expectations.AI isn’t just computationally expensive—it’s environmentally taxing. As quantum computing and edge computing enter the fray, there’s a pressing need to align innovation with sustainability.

Japan is facing a quiet crisis with over 9 million abandoned homes, known as akiya, scattered across the country—a number expected to double in the next decade. This phenomenon is largely driven by an aging population, declining birth rates, and continued migration to urban centers.ATP spoke to Tsuyoshi Domoto, the Founder of Akiya Air, who has created a platform to help unlock the potential of akiya by offering a one-stop service for buying, renovating, managing, and monetizing these homes.Some of the topics Tsuyoshi covered in detail:Japan’s tax system discourages demolition and incentivizes keeping decrepit houses standing.Navigating Japan’s real estate market as a foreigner can be quite challenging. Trying to purchase and renovate a rural home is nearly impossible without local help.While many foreigners may not know 'akiya' exist, those who do are enthusiastic. Some want a second home to visit regularly; others see it as an Airbnb-style investment for other foreign visitors.Financing can still be a major barrier as Japanese banks are still cautious about lending to foreigners, especially those without permanent residency.Akiya Air's vision is to create pockets of innovation and community in Japan’s countryside, akin to what he saw in Bali — digital nomads, creatives, and entrepreneurs co-living and co-working in revitalized areas.

Global financial systems are evolving rapidly, but many remain fragmented, creating barriers for people and businesses trying to move money across borders. While local solutions like mobile wallets have improved access in specific regions, they often operate in isolation.In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, Elie Bertha, Chief Product Officer at Thunes, explores why interoperability is becoming the cornerstone of global financial services.Some of the topics that Elie covered in detail include:Connectivity may power global commerce, but interoperability—systems speaking to each other in real-time—is the glue that makes it functional.In emerging markets like the Philippines, Indonesia, and large swaths of Africa, mobile wallets have become essential tools for financial inclusion.The most persistent obstacles to seamless cross-border payments aren’t technological—they're bureaucratic.Frictionless payments aren't just convenient—they unleash liquidity.Digital wallets that hold fiat, crypto, or stablecoins offer the flexibility users need, but challenges remain. Stablecoins promise 24/7 global liquidity—but usability, acceptance, and integration into traditional systems remain hurdles.