The One About AI's Evolution
From neural networks to large language models, from research labs to global policy stages - AI's evolution has spawned multiple distinct narratives about its development and outlook. As highlighted by the 2024 Nobel Prize recognition of Geoffrey Hinton, Demis Hassabis, and Daron Acemoglu, these perspectives range from cautionary warnings to technological optimism to socio-economic analysis.
Join us for a critical examination of AI's trajectory through the lenses of technical innovation and socio-economic impact.
Opening and moderating the session will be Hui Chien who will trace pivotal moments that shaped various AI paradigms - from Alignment and Accelerationism to Open Source and Data Justice. As we stand at this crucial juncture in AI's development, understanding these competing visions becomes essential for technologists, industry leaders, and policymakers alike.
Our distinguished panelists will also bring diverse perspectives: Dr. James Ong from AIII, with four decades of cross-sector experience and a focus on Sustainable AI for Humanity; James Chua from Truthful AI, who researches reasoning and truthfulness in cutting-edge language models; and Mabel Loh, founder of Maibel, an AI wellness companion blending emotional intelligence with habit coaching, building from a non-technical lens to craft autonomous agents grounded in real-world routines, emotional UX, and human connection.
More About the Panelists:
Mr Loy Hui Chien is a public officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Beyond his day job, he is passionate about harnessing digital tools to enhance his effectiveness as a professional, manager, and leader. With a background in computing dating to his school days, he believes the advent of generative AI marks the most exciting era of computing in decades. Through Lorong AI, he hopes to connect with other AI changemakers in Singapore and super-charge 10x our collective AI journey.
Dr. James Ong has 4 decades of industry, venture and academic experience. He founded Artificial Intelligence International Institute (AIII), a think tank advocating Sustainable AI for Humanity and is co-author of “AI for Humanity”. He is an Adjunct Professor at SUTD and AI Mega Centre and lectures at various universities including NUS, NTU, SUTD, SUSS, SMU and UTAR, Member of SRAC at the National Supercomputing Centre Singapore (NSCC), Head of AI at Global Fintech Institute (GFI) and Founding Member of the Singapore IGF. He is also CEO of Origami Frontiers and Venture Partner at Delight Capital. He received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin specializing in AI for Governance.
James Chua is a Alignment Researcher at Truthful AI, an AI Safety organisation based in Berkeley. He also spends time in the Singapore AI Safety Hub. His current focus is evaluating truthfulness, situational awareness and reasoning in language models. In a past life, he was a machine learning engineer in industry.
Mabel Loh is the founder of Maibel, an emotionally intelligent AI wellness companion designed to support women through story-driven habit coaching and empathetic conversations. A former educator and women's health coach, she’s building Maibel from first principles: designing autonomous coaching agents, crafting multi-modal experiences, and exploring orchestration-first architectures that mirror how real humans grow, spiral, and self-correct. Her excitement lies in AI-native workflows, emotional interfaces, and self-evolving AI systems that learn from users, not just react to them.