Bfm :: Tech Talk

Human NPCs, phubbing your partner and AI influencers fail to out-weird Elon Musk’s latest X-rated escapade.

Brooke Wenig, the Director of Machine Learning Practice at Databricks, will be sharing her insights on the future of machine learning. Since joining Databricks in 2016, she has been instrumental in shaping the company's machine learning strategies, leading a team of data scientists and engineers in developing large-scale, production-grade machine learning pipelines. Fluent in Mandarin and a co-author of "Learning Spark, 2nd Edition", her expertise extends beyond the practical applications of machine learning to its theoretical underpinnings.

In a world where everything is rated, what value do those ratings have? And how are they driving generational change in our attitude to work

As digital technologies rise and sensitive data increasingly goes online, the threat of cyberattacks grows. Predicted cybercrime costs for 2023 reach $8 trillion, spiking to $10.5 trillion by 2025. Amidst this backdrop, we hear from Abbas Kudrati, Microsoft Asia’s Chief Cybersecurity Advisor. We shed light on the global and Malaysian cybersecurity situation, AI's pivotal role in security, and Microsoft's strategy in combating threats. We’ll also be addressing the urgent issue of outdated software on over a million devices, elaborating on Microsoft's steps to mitigate a 78% surge in high-severity vulnerabilities, and underlining how Microsoft's tactics align with the Zero Trust model.

What do exit surveys for exes, a global glitter shortage, red coloured green screens and the brain patterns of lonely people have in common? They’re all extremely weird.

Catch up with the AWS CXO Coffee Club event, Born From Retail, Built For Retailers that took place at the end of May this year. This event aimed to underscore the significance of data analytics in both online and offline businesses, especially in the retail industry.The focus was on supply chain and delivery management, tackling the difficulties encountered by smaller retailers with multiple systems, and demonstrating the potential of AWS in resolving these issues.Photo Credits: Shutterstock | Tada Images

As science pushes the boundaries of physics with gravitational waves, social media pushes the boundaries of tweeting. In Japan, they’re regrowing teeth. Teeth wins.

Xendit is a fintech firm offering payment solutions to businesses across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. It caters to SMEs, e-commerce startups, and large enterprises, enabling them to accept various forms of payments, disburse payroll, and run marketplaces. Known for its speed, simplicity, and 24/7 customer support, Xendit is addressing the fragmented payment landscape in the region. It supports payments from direct debit, virtual accounts, cards, eWallets, retail outlets, and online instalments. By building the region's digital payment infrastructure, Xendit is driving digital transformation, addressing access, reliability, and regulatory needs, thereby enabling businesses to scale and thrive. It powers brands like Traveloka, Transferwise, Ninjavan, and Grab. We speak to the GM of Xendit Malaysia, Jason Siew on the interdependence of digital payments and the e-commerce space, and the blurring of lines between fintech companies and banks.

As Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg plan the world’s most lucrative cage fight over their respective Twitter-style plans, a new generation of app builders is plotting their demise with the Fediverse.

Does technology make us dumb? Has the Internet made us less smart? Will AI only make the problem worse? Or are we underestimating our own intelligence?

In a climate of rising inflation and potential recession, small and medium businesses (SMBs) are facing the tough task of balancing cost optimisation with innovation. Cloud technologies are playing a key role, offering a path to data management efficiency and business model transformation. We speak with Gunish Chawla, Amazon Web Services' (AWS) Managing Director for Mid-Market Enterprise and SMB, ASEAN. Gunish will unpack the effects of recent economic factors on digital transformation and explore AWS's efforts to assist SMBs in navigating cloud adoption barriers. We'll delve into the AWS Lift initiative, aimed at enhancing SMBs' digitisation journey, and discuss how AWS's cloud services can drive cost savings and innovation amidst challenging times.

Apple’s Vision Pro may have ushered in an age of spatial computing. But how well is the company poised to profit from it?

Boost may have started out as a homegrown e-wallet in Malaysia, but today it's a regional full spectrum fintech player in Southeast Asia offering a suite of solutions within its holistic fintech ecosystem. On top of that, Boost is also venturing into digital banking space locally, alongside its consortium partner RHB Bank.In this edition of Tech Talk, we speak with Eric Chong, the CEO of Boost Biz, and Stefanus Warsito, the CEO of Boost Indonesia, on how Boost continues to serve the underserved communities, primarily micro-SMEs in Malaysia and Indonesia, by financially and digitally empowering them to be unstoppable.Both Eric and Stefanus shared their in-depth insights into the gaps in their respective markets and how Boost comes in to provide the solutions that’s designed to meet the needs of micro-SMEs. They also deep dived into the innovative digital financial services and merchant solutions offered by Boost, that will help businesses reach their full potential.

Artificial Intelligence chatbots, like OpenAI's ChatGPT, are gaining significant attention for their innovative abilities in content generation and customer service. Recently, Microsoft announced its integration of the AI chatbot into their search engine, further promoting the importance of this technology. Chatbots are gaining traction in Asia Pacific, especially on ecommerce platforms. Predicted to grow at a CAGR of 26.5% between 2021-2027, chatbots' evolution in natural language processing will enhance their ability to answer intricate enquiries and provide comprehensive customer service. We hear from Simon Ma, Director & Regional Manager, ASEAN at Freshworks, who’ll be discussing how real-time chatbots can convert more customers, the benefits they bring, the transformative role of ChatGPT in enhancing customer experience, and common chatbot myths.

The use of ChatGPT in education is a contentious issue, with proponents arguing that it can increase productivity and provide access to information, while opponents raise concerns about academic dishonesty and over-reliance on the technology. There are also debates around fairness and equality in education. Turnitin is a global leader in academic integrity solutions and has recently introduced a new technological feature that enables educators and institutions to evaluate the authenticity of their students' academic work. We hear from James Thorley, Regional Vice President of APAC at Turnitin.

This week we dive into an AI-powered Mattsplained Extended Universe (MEU) to discuss an alternative to Large Language Models, look at some of the therapeutic uses of the technology and explore its environmental impact.

HandPlus Robotics, a promising startup with its R&D centre in Malaysia, is creating a significant impact in the robotics industry. Having emerged successful from the Amazon Robotics Challenge and DHL Robotics Challenge, the company has deployed over 15 robots to eight clients in just two years, earning nearly $2 million in revenue. They specialise in 'dynamic picking' problems, with robots intelligent enough to navigate unstructured environments. As the company plans to expand into Malaysia, with support from the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) we hear from Albert Caustio, Founder and CEO of HandPlus Robotics. He’ll be discussing the evolution and workings of robotic arms, the unique features of their robots, their business model, and the potential impact of advanced robotics in diverse fields.

This week we’re looking at electronic skin, cola’s effect of salty snacks and a house made from recycled diapers.PS: Matt's new favourite music: Cold Touch - Kito ft GrimesAI

When you're scrolling through your favourite website or app, have you ever stopped to wonder how quickly and seamlessly all that data is being delivered to you?In today's fast-paced world, we expect everything to be instantaneous, especially when it comes to the Internet. But with the increasing demand for personalisation and security, companies often struggle to deliver fast and seamless online experiences. Enter Fastly, a company that is leading the charge in revolutionising how we experience the Internet.We hear from Artur Bergman, the Founder and Chief Architect of Fastly, the man who’s literally responsible for making your Internet faster.

Today we look at a parasitic worm that battles diabetes, an injectable robot that places electrodes on the brain and some more weird stuff about AI.