Programme Highlights from UOB FinLab 2026 – Women in Business: AI Readiness & Adoption

The Programme Journey

Beginning the AI Journey

Through 03 in-depth private sessions, more than 150 women business leaders explored the key dimensions of AI adoption in business. From operational excellence and business growth to decision-making and governance, each session provided practical insights and real-world perspectives, helping participants assess their readiness and identify AI opportunities relevant to their organisations.

AI Showcase Event: Bringing AI Closer to Business Reality

Building on the conversations from the private sessions, the AI Showcase brought together business leaders, technology experts and ecosystem partners to explore how AI is transforming operations, growth and leadership in practice. With more than 250 women business leaders and business representatives in attendance, the event expanded the conversation beyond awareness, creating opportunities for participants to exchange ideas, connect with experts and discover solutions tailored to their business needs.

Conversations That Shaped the Day

1. A Growing Innovation Ecosystem Is Making AI More Accessible for Businesses

Opening the event, Ms. Dang Thi Luan – Director, Startup & Innovation Hub of Ho Chi Minh City (SIHUB) highlighted how Ho Chi Minh City's innovation ecosystem is creating more opportunities for businesses to explore and adopt AI. With growing access to technology providers, startup networks, support programmes and government initiatives, businesses today have more resources than ever to begin their AI journey.

The discussion reinforced an important message for business leaders: adopting AI is no longer limited to technology companies. As the ecosystem continues to evolve, businesses of all sizes can tap into a wider range of expertise, partnerships and support mechanisms to accelerate innovation and digital transformation.

Ms. Dang Thi Luan, Director of Startup & Innovation Hub of Ho Chi Minh City (SIHUB), sharing insights on “Ho Chi Minh City’s Policy & Ecosystem Signals Leaders Should Be Aware Of”

2. AI Can Support Decisions, But Leadership Remains a Human Responsibility

One recurring theme throughout the event was that AI should not be viewed as a replacement for leadership. Speakers emphasised that while AI can process information faster, uncover insights from large volumes of data and automate repetitive tasks, it cannot replace human judgement, experience and a deep understanding of business context.

In an environment where leaders are expected to make faster and more informed decisions, AI increasingly serves as a trusted assistant. However, the responsibility for evaluating recommendations, balancing risks and making final decisions continues to rest firmly with business leaders.

Speakers during the panel discussion “From Daily Overload to Sound Judgment: What AI Readiness Really Means”

3. Strong Data and Clear Processes Remain the Foundation for AI Success

Across several discussions, experts pointed out that one of the biggest obstacles to effective AI adoption is not technology itself, but organisational readiness. Many businesses already possess large amounts of data, yet much of it remains fragmented, inconsistent or underutilised.

Speakers stressed that AI delivers value only when it is supported by reliable data and well-defined processes. Rather than looking for AI to solve operational inefficiencies, businesses should first focus on strengthening data quality, standardising internal workflows and identifying the right business challenges to address.

4. Businesses Are Moving Beyond AI Adoption Towards AI Capability Building

Another notable theme was the shift in how businesses view AI. Increasingly, organisations are moving beyond experimenting with AI tools and starting to focus on building long-term AI capabilities across their workforce and operations.

This requires more than selecting the right technologies. It involves developing AI literacy, strengthening critical thinking skills, equipping employees to work effectively alongside AI and creating governance structures that support responsible adoption. According to the speakers, future competitive advantage will come not only from adopting AI, but from an organisation's ability to integrate people, data and technology effectively.

5. AI Is Unlocking New Opportunities for Productivity and Growth

Beyond discussions on strategy and governance, the AI Showcase highlighted how businesses are already using AI to create tangible impact across their day-to-day operations. From marketing and sales to customer engagement and internal workflows, AI is helping organisations streamline tasks, improve collaboration and make better use of existing resources.

What stood out throughout the discussions was that businesses are not necessarily looking for large-scale transformation from the outset. Instead, many are prioritising practical AI applications that can deliver visible results in a relatively short period of time and address specific operational challenges. This incremental approach is making AI more accessible, achievable and relevant for businesses across different industries.

Insights shared by technology partners also pointed to a growing consensus: the greatest value of AI does not come from replacing people, but from enabling them to focus on higher-value work. By automating repetitive tasks and reducing administrative burden, AI allows teams to dedicate more time to strategic thinking, creativity and activities that drive long-term business growth.

Speakers during the panel discussion “From AI Curiosity to Confident Decisions for Sales, Productivity & Growth”

From Insights to Action

While the event provided a platform for thought-provoking discussions and expert perspectives, it also served as a space where meaningful connections could take shape. Through dedicated networking opportunities and solution experience zones, participants engaged directly with technology providers, consultants and industry experts to explore how AI can be applied within their own business contexts.

By connecting strategic insights with practical solutions, the AI Showcase event enabled business leaders to move beyond understanding AI and begin exploring the pathways to implementation, laying the groundwork for the next stage of their AI journey.