“We’re not goldfish. We have attention when we want to have attention.” With this declaration at DMWF Asia, Sukanya (Su) Das Gupta, Blis APAC’s senior insights manager, addressed conventional marketing wisdom.

As brands try to capture ever-diminishing attention spans, Das Gupta offered a refreshing counter-narrative: marketers are drowning in data while missing the human stories behind consumer behaviour analysis.

In her day one session titled, “From instant hits to lasting habits: Crafting sustainable brand presence in APAC,” Das Gupta challenged marketers to move beyond quick wins and focus on building genuine connections that endure.

Humanising data: beyond numbers and statistics

Das Gupta challenged the reductive view of data science, emphasising that effective marketing requires seeing beyond raw numbers to understand human emotions and decision-making patterns. “Data isn’t just numbers,” Das Gupta said. “It’s been so reductive because everybody likes ‘data science’ and ‘data analysis.’ It’s human emotions, and it’s not rational because externalities push people to make these decisions.”

Her team’s consumer behaviour analysis for a QSR brand in Malaysia revealed three important facts that transformed their approach:

1. Decisions happen outside the store: Das Gupta’s team discovered that purchasing decisions weren’t primarily made at the point of sale as commonly assumed. “The decisions were happening outside of the store. They were happening in neutral spaces of community,” she explained. The insight prompted the brand to shift its messaging strategy to target consumers during everyday interactions with peers and family rather than focusing exclusively on in-store promotions.
2. Consideration trumps transaction: The data revealed that the psychological journey leading to the purchase was far more influential than the purchase moment itself. “The moments of consideration mattered so much more than moments of transaction,” Das Gupta said. Consumers’ consideration of a purchase was much more important than the moment they were buying.” Even for impulse-driven QSR products like pizza or burgers, consumers were making evaluations well before entering stores, and that suggested brands need to invest in nurturing consideration rather than merely optimising transactions.
3. Context drives behaviour: The most surprising finding was how the brand’s contextual positioning directly influenced consumer response. “When the brand shifted its context slightly, then behaviour started to shift. It was really about how the brand reacted to everything versus how audiences reacted,” Das Gupta said. By reframing its messaging to acknowledge consumer hesitations rather than simply pushing products, the QSR brand saw dramatic improvements in engagement.

The brand saw a dramatic turnaround, shifting from short-term firefighting to consistent, long-term engagement. “Instead of having a campaign once every quarter, we said, let’s try to keep it monthly. Let’s make it more realistic. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” she noted.

The marathon mentality represented a fundamental shift in campaign philosophy. Das Gupta explained that their initial burst campaign had produced an unsustainable 73% increase in exposure. Rather than celebrating this artificial spike, her team recognised the danger of such volatile results and recalibrated toward steady, incremental growth.

“We steadied it,” she said, describing how the team replaced infrequent high-intensity campaigns with consistent monthly touchpoints. The approach proved more sustainable and gradually built consumer trust through reliable, predictable brand interactions. It allowed attention, awareness, and consideration to build over time rather than attempting to force immediate results.

The APAC challenge: Why Western formulas fail

Das Gupta highlighted Western brands’ common mistakes when entering APAC markets, noting the region’s extreme fragmentation and cultural diversity. “When Western brands come in, they believe what’s worked in the US and the UK works beautifully in APAC. And I don’t think they could be more mistaken. You can’t take something that works elsewhere and fit it in APAC. It’s really that simple.”

She cited a cautionary example of an FMCG brand that tried to use a swimsuit-themed advertisement created for US and European markets in Bangladesh, resulting in cultural backlash. While localisation is widely recognised as essential, Das Gupta acknowledged the challenges: “It becomes a matter of cost and time investment. It’s always easier to try your luck.” She stressed that successful brands invest in understanding local nuances: “You have to understand, this is all behavioural economics. People are not rational beings. So you need to understand what triggers their irrationality.”

Subtle impressions win in a noisy digital world

Das Gupta also made a counterintuitive argument for subtlety over attention-grabbing tactics in today’s digital environment. “Look at brands everywhere in any Asian market. You see a giant billboard. You drive 200 metres; you see the same giant billboard with the same creative, same influencer, same tagline, same font, and same background. Are you registering the brand, or have you just ignored it?” she asked.

She advocated for “small, subtle touches” that embed brands in consumer memory, citing Netflix’s distinctive sound for example: “[The] Netflix jingle became a Netflix jingle because it was only there before a Netflix movie started playing. It was not because every brand was blasting it.” The approach requires patience from stakeholders expecting immediate ROI. “Yes, ROI takes time, but so does anything good,” Das Gupta noted. “Try to lean into patience and consistency. It will never not play.”

Content strategy: relevance over length

Regarding shrinking attention spans, Das Gupta rejected simplistic formulas about content length. “I think it’s very reductive to say that people have less attention. We’re not goldfish. We have attention when we want to have attention,” she stated. Success depends on relevance and storytelling, not arbitrary time limits. “Your story can be five seconds long, it can be 30 seconds long, it can be 15 hours. You convey your message in the story you want to tell and be relevant.”

She referenced PETRONAS’s festive season campaigns in Malaysia and Nike’s inspirational ads as examples of longer content that still captures the audience’s attention because of compelling storytelling. For brands seeking to navigate APAC’s complex markets, Das Gupta’s insights offer a roadmap: humanise your data, respect cultural contexts, maintain subtle consistency, and tell stories that resonate. Simply put, when marketing is approached as behavioural economics rather than just promotion, the results speak for themselves.

The post Micro-moments to macro-meaning: Blis on humanising APAC data appeared first on TechWire Asia.

The hardware comprises Lenovo’s ThinkSystem V4 servers, which the company says offer better performance.

Lenovo says the ThinkSystem servers can manage tasks from astrophysics to static site web serving. The servers can reportedly achieve up to 6.1 times more than those with the previous generation of processors. Onboard MRDIMM technology doubles memory bandwidth for accelerated data processing in AI applications.

Scott Tease, Vice President of Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group and General Manager of the Product Line, said, “The new Lenovo ThinkSystem V4 servers represent the next generation of performance and innovation, achieving higher compute with less energy consumption and delivering AI-powered management that empowers businesses with fast and protected AI deployment across any environment.”

Tease said that the new systems were designed to address challenges related to limited power availability and provide higher performance when handling compute-intensive AI tasks.

The three servers, SR630 V4, SR650 V4, and SR650a V4, are designed for different uses, from generic cloud services, AI workloads, and GPU-intensive tasks.

The SR630 V4 is space-efficient at only 1U high, so can provide high-density computing for the cloud and fintech. The SR650 V4 server offers up to a quarter more software GPU capacity and doubles computation performance compared to previous models at this price point. Lenovo states that it’s suitable for simulation, modelling, engineering, and AI workloads.

The SR650a V4 is designed to deliver maximum AI power, capable of handling GPU-intensive workloads like machine learning and media analytics. The 2U2s platform can support up to four double-width GPUs, and front panel GPU access makes it easy to upgrade cards.

Lenovo’s Neptune liquid-cooling is also capable of freeing up internal space and reduce power use by improving overall thermal efficiency. In turn, this creates room for more resources in existing racks.

Lenovo’s ThinkSystem servers include an optional locking bezel to secure servers and their internal hardware, a bonus in remote settings where physical access may be more vulnerable.

XClarity One, Lenovo’s centralised systems management platform helps deploy, monitor and manage IT infrastructures. It simplifies Lenovo ThinkSystem V4 servers’ operations, and uses AI analytics to monitor the server components’ health.

XClarity One now includes a ‘Federated Directory’ which allows the management of complete systems from a centralised point, rather than separate access controls for each application. The directory uses a unified registry and a single account.

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Remember when SEO simply meant getting your website to rank on Google? Those days are quickly fading into digital history. The evolution of SEO has been quietly transforming beneath our feet – from keywords and backlinks to a complex ecosystem that extends far beyond traditional search engines.

“Think of it as a natural progression,” says Judy Tay, Head of Content at First Page Digital, as we settle into our conversation at the bustling Digital Marketing World Forum (DMWF). Her eyes light up as she shares what she believes is the next frontier for digital marketers.

“SEO has evolved from search engine optimisation,” Tay explained. “Last year, it was search experience optimisation, but it is still focused on the website and the search engine. This year, it will be optimised for search everywhere. Keep your eyes out – websites will be so integrated into other engines outside of just Google.”

The three stages of SEO evolution

The evolution of SEO can be mapped across three distinct phases:

1. Search Engine Optimisation – The traditional approach focused primarily on ranking in Google search results
2. Search Experience Optimisation – A more holistic approach considering user experience on websites
3. Search Everywhere Optimisation – The current frontier where brands must optimise across multiple platforms and touchpoints

This progression represents a fundamental shift in how digital marketers approach their strategies. As search behaviours diversify across platforms like social media, voice assistants, and specialised apps, the conventional focus on Google rankings alone has become insufficient.

Metrics that matter in modern SEO

When evaluating SEO success, vanity metrics give way to more meaningful performance indicators. Tay emphasises that metrics should align with specific business goals rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.

“Metrics is extensive,” noted Tay. “It really depends on context – SEO and marketing campaigns can no longer work by executing blindly. Understanding the business needs comes first. If the business wants to see revenue, I believe that should also be part of an SEO report or metrics.”

Tay focuses on engagement metrics for technical evaluation: “I look heavily into things like bounce rate, time on page and things like that. Those, to me, are not vanity metrics. Those are things that can inform the execution side of things.”

However, client-facing reports typically emphasise different aspects: “On the client side, it’s really about traffic, number one, of course. But then we must show what this traffic translates to – whether it’s engagement with specific landing pages, e-commerce conversions, or other valuable actions.”

Red flags in SEO agencies

Choosing the right partner becomes crucial as businesses navigate the evolution of SEO and seek expertise to guide their strategies. Yet many brands struggle to distinguish between agencies that deliver genuine value and those selling empty promises.

“This is something many people keep hush-hush,” Tay noted when asked about industry practices. Drawing from her extensive experience, she outlined three critical warning signs that suggest an SEO agency might be overpromising and underdelivering:

• Inflexible, cookie-cutter solutions

Tay warns against agencies that offer rigid, one-size-fits-all approaches: “A red flag is when an agency pushes only predetermined solutions with no room to pivot or be flexible. They’ll say, ‘You need this pay-per-click (PPC) campaign, you need this SEO package’ without considering your unique business context.”

• Lack of co-creation

“Another warning sign is when agencies discourage client involvement,” Tay explains. “They’ll say, ‘We’ll handle everything—just take a back seat and wait for results.’ This rarely works because collaboration is essential. We aren’t on the brand side day-to-day, so we need that partnership.”

• Limited experience with strategic thinking

Tay says tactical execution without strategic depth is problematic: “You can find someone to handle technical SEO tasks on Upwork or Fiverr, but that’s just execution. Many agencies focus on short-term tactical gains, especially in SEO; you need strategic experience to drive meaningful results over time.”

SEO practices to avoid

As SEO evolves, certain practices can potentially harm businesses in the long run. Tay highlighted a particularly concerning trend: the devaluation of technical SEO.

“The devaluation of technical SEO [is problematic],” Tay stated. “I’m the head of content, but nowadays, many agencies think that you can just optimise content and then just optimise very surface stuff like page load speeds and things like that. But I don’t think that’s the way.”

She emphasised the need for comprehensive strategies: “Given we need to take into account an overview of AI, what is the impact of my brand with the emergence of AI, for example?”

The evolving agency-client relationship

The relationship between SEO agencies and their clients has transformed significantly in recent years. Tay notes that agencies are increasingly functioning as extensions of their client’s teams rather than as external vendors.

“We are now seen as an extension of clients,” Tay explained. “We have some clients that get us to join their weekly stand-up–the entire marketing team, not just SEO specialists, but their sales, product developers, and things like that.”

This integrated approach allows for more comprehensive strategy development. However, Tay acknowledges it’s not suitable for every client: “That’s more towards customer servicing, as well as giving a more comprehensive strategy, which not every business needs or is paying for.”

Beyond integration, Tay emphasises the importance of consultative relationships: “Being able to be consultative – don’t just deliver. I try to have bi-weekly catch-ups with my clients to sit down and [ask] if we are meeting markers. Are we going in the right direction?”

The future belongs to the adaptable

A critical aspect of successful SEO is anticipating and adapting to search engine algorithm updates. While First Page Digital benefits from being a Google Premium Partner, Tay credits their success more to proactive testing and pattern recognition.

“Before Google even comes up with the updates, we have sort of put it to test already,” Tay revealed. “When you run big enough campaigns, you will see a pattern; when you see a pattern, you must form a hypothesis.”

This forward-thinking approach reveals why some agencies thrive while others struggle in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. As Tay emphasises, success in tomorrow’s SEO isn’t about mastering a single platform but understanding the entire digital ecosystem where your audience exists.

The evolution of SEO from search engine to search everywhere optimisation isn’t just another industry buzzword—it’s a fundamental reimagining of how brands connect with audiences. 

Those who recognise this shift early and adapt accordingly will survive the transition and discover unprecedented opportunities to dominate digital spaces their competitors have yet to explore.

As Tay puts it, we’re no longer optimising algorithms but for human connection across an expanding digital universe. And in that universe, the old rules of engagement no longer apply.

The post From Search Engine to Search Everywhere: The evolution of SEO in 2025 appeared first on TechWire Asia.

• Binance back in business.
• Fiat currency exchanges now possible for US traders.
• International competition for geographic hub status.

US cryptocurrency platform, Binance.US has revealed it is accepting US dollar deposits and withdrawal after restoring USD fiat services. Customers of Binance.US can withdraw and deposit USD via ACH bank transfers with no fees and continue to use the platform’s features, including buying, selling, and converting the platform’s accepted 160 cryptocurrencies.

The re-opening of full trade comes 19 months after Binance.US paused USD transactions, which the company stated was “due to escalating regulatory challenges.” A key motive behind the move to limit its activities was the legal action taken against Binance, its founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao, and operator of its US exchange by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The SEC accused Binance of falsely inflating trading volumes to create a misleading impression of market activity. The company was also alleged to have misused customer funds, allowing US users to access its platform despite ongoing restrictions, and deceiving investors about its ability to monitor and prevent fraudulent trading activities.

At the time, Binance.US cited the SEC’s “extremely aggressive and intimidating tactics” as a primary reason for disruptions to its services.

During the suspension, the company announced that it was functioning as a “crypto-only exchange,” dealing with crypto-denominated deposits, trading, and withdrawals, not fiat currencies.

Binance back in business

The latest round of restoration of services came after a great deal of change in the cryptocurrency landscape, including Zhao stepping down as CEO and Binance reaching a settlement in the case by agreeing to pay US$4 billion to the US government. The US’s new president is highly supportive of cryptocurrency, and several cryptocurrency exchanges that had previously withdrawn from the US, due to strict regulations under the Biden administration, are now returning.

Interim CEO of Binance.US, Norman Reed, commenting on the significance of restoring fiat (USD) transactions, said, “The marks one of the most important chapters for Binance.US since July 2023, when we were forced to begin operating as a crypto-only platform. We have been looking forward to the day that we would be able to offer full USD services again.”

The new lease of life for Binance.US could be an indication of the market shifting toward a more stable and regulated environment, or, depending on your point of view, a less-regulated arena in which exchanges can act with greater degree of impunity.

International jostling for position

The current rise in the value of Bitcoin – due in part to the US administration’s proposals to include cryptocurrency in federal reserves and the incumbent president’s welcoming approach to digital currencies – has given fresh impetus to other geographies to position themselves as cryptocurrency ‘hubs’. Hong Kong and Singapore have taken steps to amend or enact regulatory measures that are accepting of cryptocurrencies, and various other APAC countries are circling the possibilities that digital currencies purport to offer.

Last year, Singapore’s Monetary Authority gave out more than a dozen MPI (major payment institution) licences to cryptocurrency exchanges, including Coinbase and Blockchain.com, up from the four such licences it granted in 2023.

Hong Kong’s licensing regulations are somewhat tighter than Singapore’s, due in part to the territory’s close ties with mainland China. The Chinese administration has a selectively positive and sometimes mercurial attitude to cryptocurrencies. As of the end of 2024, Hong Kong had licensed seven cryptocurrency exchanges, and is increasingly seen as friendly towards cryptocurrency trade.

The return of Binance to its full trading status will help the market’s geographic balance. The SEC’s acceptance of Binance.US back into the fold will bolster the US digital currency economy, if not for the collective good of the US people, then at least as a representation of its ‘America First’ economic policies.

The post Binance.US announces restoration of USD fiat services appeared first on TechWire Asia.

The experiences of building developers Adarsh Developers at the hands of cloud provider AWS is a cautionary tale for those organisations entrusting their most valuable assets to the cloud.

In May 2023, the company was persuaded to opt for a system upgrade by AWS to increase the security of its cloud-hosted assets. Adarsh Developers hosted its ERP platform, SAP S/4HANA, on AWS. Given that AWS and SAP held data vital to the company (including detailed financial records), the proposed update seemed like a sensible idea.

Fast forward to January 9th this year, and the company discovered that as of 10:48am, the entire SAP S/4HANA platform had been wiped from AWS disks, thus bringing the business to a complete halt. With no customer data, supplier details, financial information – everything, in fact – it was as if Adarsh Developers no longer existed on AWS. According to The Hindu, the company has since estimated its losses at ₹5 crores (around US$576,500) per day since Jan 9.

The Indian police have raised an FIR (first information report) against AWS under the IT Act, citing fraud and impersonation. Adarsh Developers states its financial losses due to the data outage are in excess of ₹100 crores (US$11.5 million), quoting this figure in the filing.

The company’s SAP integration and consultancy partner, SAVIC, has investigated the massive data loss, and placed the blame at the doors of AWS, and/or its reseller, the Redington Group. The company claims in the FIR that the deletion of Adarsh Developers’ data was invoked “at root level” (meaning by an account with superuser privileges) by Redington personnel.

AWS India, via a spokesperson to The Hindu, stated: “The claims against AWS are false. AWS operated as designed and is not responsible for the deletion […].” All the parties involved (SAVIC, Redington, AWS, and Adarsh Developers) have to submit technical data to back their stories.

The case and the issues surrounding massive data loss from cloud providers throw into relief several issues that are continuing concerns of data professional, operations managers, cybersecurity personnel, and systems providers.

• Any complexity in an IT supply chain increases the chances of data loss, and delays the identification of the root causes of critical issues (and therefore, their remediation),
• Service centralisation in terms of computing platforms (using an ERP as opposed to multiple point-products) comes with inherent risk,
• Provisioning a single cloud provider can create another point of failure.

If there is one lesson to be learned from the experience of Adarsh Developers, it is that cloud providers are not responsible for maintaining the integrity nor even continuing existence of data stored with them, and, therefore, are not responsible any client’s business continuity. Although companies like AWS, Microsoft, and Google are household names, there is no guarantee that a business’s assets kept by them are inviolable. Even such ‘givens’ as Office 365 email continuing reliably have to be questioned, and companies should take steps to ensure their own data is quickly recoverable, regardless of hosting and platform(s).

Whatever the eventual outcome of the Indian court proceedings, the victim in this case can’t hope to achieve enough compensation for its loss of business, reputation, and time. Cloud services are merely ‘someone else’s computer’. The realisation of the implications of centralisation, and in some cases, the high cost of cloud services is leading many organisations to adopt multi-cloud strategies, or take at least some of their critical systems back on-premise.

Human error is the most likely cause of the disaster that has befallen Adarsh Developers, and the culprit being established is moot, apart from giving Adarsh a possible source of compensation. Mistakes, misconfiguration, or security lapses will happen, and investment in appropriate recovery processes is (or should be) as central to modern businesses as email and internet access.

The most-publicised data losses stem from the activities of bad actors, either externally or in the guise of insider threats such as disgruntled employees. Simple human error gets little coverage.

The post Adarsh Developers suffer total data loss after cloud deletion appeared first on TechWire Asia.

Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has experienced total outflows exceeding $5.5 billion after suffering a $1.4 billion security breach, reportedly carried out by hackers linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group. The attackers targeted the exchange’s ether cold wallet, prompting Bybit to secure emergency funding to maintain withdrawal operations.

Massive withdrawals and emergency response

Data from DeFiLlama showed assets associated with Bybit’s wallets dropped from $16.9 billion to $11.2 billion following the breach. In an X Spaces session, Bybit CEO Ben Zhou stated that as soon as the attack was identified, the exchange prioritised processing withdrawals. According to Zhou, hackers drained 70% of clients’ ether holdings, forcing Bybit to secure loans to maintain withdrawal liquidity. However, stablecoin withdrawals quickly overtook ether, as most users moved their funds to other platforms.

Bybit had the reserves to support withdrawals, but the situation was complicated when Safe, a decentralised custody protocol, temporarily shut down smart wallet functionalities to address security concerns.

Zhou noted that $3 billion in USDT was locked in a Safe wallet, delaying access to important reserves.

Safe stated on social media that while it had not found evidence of a frontend compromise, certain functionalities were paused as a precautionary measure. With mounting withdrawal requests, Bybit’s security team worked to develop software that manually verified transaction signatures, allowing funds to be moved from the Safe wallet. Despite challenges, the exchange managed to transfer its $3 billion in stablecoin reserves, but not before experiencing a 50% bank run.

Authorities and blockchain analysts investigate

Bybit has engaged law enforcement agencies, including Singaporean authorities and Interpol, to track the stolen assets. Blockchain analysis firms, like Chainalysis, have also been asked to assist in identifying the movements of the stolen funds. Zhou emphasised that Bybit is committed to monitoring the attackers’ activities in the hope that the stolen assets can be traced and recovered.

Rolling back ethereum considered

During the session, Zhou acknowledged that some industry figures, including BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, suggested the possibility of an Ethereum blockchain rollback to recover lost funds. Bybit’s team collaborated with Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and the Ethereum Foundation to explore alternative solutions.

However, Zhou pointed out that such a choice would require community consensus and is unlikely to be taken unilaterally. “I’m not sure it’s a one-man decision based on the spirit of blockchain. It should be a work in process to see what the community wants,” Zhou said.

A rollback on Ethereum would be technically complex, given its smart contract infrastructure. Any attempt to alter the blockchain’s state would likely lead to a contentious hard fork, splitting the network and facing resistance from parts of the community.

Investigation into the attack

Bybit continues to investigate the exact cause of the security breach. Zhou stated that the exchange’s computers were not compromised, and an internal review of transaction signers has so far revealed no irregularities in their activity. “We know the cause is definitely around the Safe cold wallet. Whether it’s a problem with our laptops or on Safe’s side, we don’t know,” they added.

Bybit replenishes ether reserves after hack

Despite its losses, Bybit has restored a 1:1 backing of client assets after securing additional funds. On-chain tracking service Lookonchain reported Bybit has replenished 446,870 ETH – worth approximately $1.23 billion – through a mix of loans, large deposits, and ether purchases. Blockchain activity suggests that Bybit obtained over $400 million in ETH through over-the-counter trades, an additional $300 million from exchanges, and nearly $300 million through cryptocurrency fund-backed loans.

The ETH price initially saw a 4% rise over the weekend due to increased buying activity but later dropped 2% as market sentiment remained cautious. Meanwhile, Bybit stated that as of Sunday, deposits and withdrawals have returned to normal levels, with deposits slightly exceeding withdrawals.

Attack linked to North Korea’s Lazarus group

The security breach has been linked to the Lazarus Group, an alledgedly state-sponsored North Korean hacking collective known for high-profile cryptocurrency attacks. Blockchain analyst ZachXBT identified transaction patterns similar to those used in previous attacks by Lazarus. The hacking group has been responsible for several major incidents, including the $600 million Ronin Network hack (2022), and a $230 million attack on Indian exchange WazirX in 2024.

Hackers reportedly gained access to Bybit’s cold wallet by manipulating a UI vulnerability and altering smart contract logic to redirect funds. The stolen ether was then split across multiple wallets and exchanged for other assets on other decentralised platforms.

Next steps for Bybit

Following the attack, Bybit has moved a large portion of its funds away from Safe cold wallets and is reviewing alternative custody solutions. The exchange continues to assess work with security experts and law enforcement to recover stolen assets. The case underscores ongoing security risks in the cryptocurrency industry, particularly with the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks targeting centralised exchanges.

Want to learn more about blockchain from industry leaders? Check out Blockchain Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California and London.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

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Nvidia and its research partners have developed an artificial intelligence model designed to analyse genetic sequences at an unprecedented scale.

Announced on February 19, the Evo 2 AI is built to read and design genetic code from different life forms. By finding patterns in DNA and RNA sequences, Evo 2 can process biological data in ways that would take researchers years of manual work.

The model was designed to detect disease-causing mutations in human genes, and it can also generate synthetic genomes as complex as those found in bacteria. Scientists believe that the model’s ability to analyse data at scale could speed research in medicine, genetics, and bio-engineering.

Expanding AI’s role in biology

Evo 2 builds on its predecessor, Evo 1, which focuses on single-cell genomes. The newer version has been trained on 9.3 trillion nucleotides sourced from more than 128,000 whole genomes. Nucleotides are the fundamental components of genetic material.

The model also examines metagenomic data, expanding its knowledge base beyond bacteria, archaea, and phages to include genetic information from humans, plants, and multi-cellular species.

According to the researchers, such a model can recognise complex patterns in genetic sequences that would be difficult for traditional methods to detect. One of its primary applications is to identify dangerous mutations, like those associated with genetic illnesses.

In early tests, Evo 2 correctly identified 90% of potentially harmful mutations in BRCA1, a breast cancer-linked gene. Scientists believe that this capability could support the development of targeted gene therapies, allowing treatments to target only specific cells while lowering the risk of unintended genetic modifications.

Patrick Hsu, co-founder of the Arc Institute and senior researcher on Evo 2, described the model as a step toward generative biology, in which AI can “read, write, and think in the language of nucleotides.” He said Evo 2 has a wide understanding of genetic structures, making it useful for tasks like identifying disease-causing mutations, and designing artificial genetic sequences for scientific research.

Computing power behind Evo 2

Evo 2 was trained over several months using Nvidia DGX Cloud AI on AWS infrastructure, and used 2,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs. The model is capable of processing genetic sequences of up to 1 million nucleotides at once, allowing it to analyse complex relationships across entire genomes. To support this degree of processing, researchers developed a new AI architecture called StripedHyena 2, which is designed to handle large-scale biological datasets efficiently.

According to the team, the architecture enabled Evo 2 to process 30 times more data than Evo 1 and analyse eight times more nucleotides. Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI, worked on the project during a sabbatical, helping to optimise the AI for large-scale biological research.

Applications beyond medicine

While Evo 2 has shown promise in medical research, scientists believe the model could also help progress in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, and synthetic biology. Some potential applications might include:

• Developing crops that are more resilient to climate change, with improved resistance to drought, pests, and extreme weather conditions.
• Engineering organisms capable of breaking down environmental pollutants, offering new approaches to reducing industrial and agricultural waste.
• Studying genetic adaptations in different species to better understand evolutionary biology and biodiversity.

Collaborative research effort

The project used Nvidia’s computing capabilities with research from the Arc Institute, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to addressing long-term scientific concerns. The institute was established in 2021 with $650 million in funding, and works with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco to advance research in bio-engineering, medicine, and genetics.

Evo 2 is now freely available to researchers worldwide through Nvidia’s BioNeMo research platform, which includes various AI-powered tools for analysing and modelling biological data. By making the model accessible, the research team hopes to speed innovation in genomics, synthetic biology, and other fields that rely on large-scale genetic analysis.

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

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As AI reshapes the marketing landscape, this year’s forum places a special emphasis on AI integration and automation, featuring an impressive lineup of speakers from global brands including The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever, PepsiCo and TikTok.

The two-day conference will run parallel tracks exploring more than 10 crucial themes, from AI-driven marketing strategies to customer experience optimisation. Dr. Luke Soon from PwC Singapore will present insights on ‘Humanising the future of marketing through AI and Automation’ as part of the conference’s focus on emerging technologies.

Several high-impact panel discussions will address the industry’s most pressing challenges. A notable session, ‘From Productivity to Creativity – How to utilise AI in your Marketing Strategy’, brings together experts from Google, PwC Singapore and First Page Digital to explore practical applications of AI in marketing operations.

Key highlights

• Data & AI innovation: Multiple sessions will explore how brands can harness AI for agile marketing insights, with Intel’s Sahaj Khunteta sharing strategies for driving marketing agility through AI-powered analytics.
• Customer experience focus: The conference features dedicated tracks on personalisation and customer-centric strategies, including a panel on ‘Shaping your digital strategy with Personalised Experiences’ featuring representatives from RBL Bank, Pearson and AEON.
• Social media evolution: Alexander Lim from TikTok will present on ‘Leveraging Gen AI to Create for Commerce’, while other sessions explore emerging social media trends and creator economy strategies.
• E-commerce & omnichannel: Industry leaders from ZALORA Group and MoneyHero will share insights on adapting to changing consumer behaviours in the digital commerce landscape.

The event has attracted top-tier sponsors, with HubSpot serving as the Track Sponsor, while Semrush Enterprise and Brandwatch join as Gold Sponsors. This strong industry backing underscores DMWF’s position as a premier gathering for marketing professionals in the Asia-Pacific region.

HubSpot’s Kat Warboys will be presenting a session on ‘From Hype to Reality: AI’s Evolution from Buzzword to Growth Essential’, highlighting how marketing technology continues to reshape industry practices.

For marketing professionals looking to stay ahead of industry trends and connect with leading innovators, DMWF Asia 2025 promises to be an unmissable event. The conference will feature networking opportunities with in excess of 300 senior-level marketers and more than 50 expert speakers across various sectors.

Those interested in attending or learning more about speaking opportunities can contact the organisers at hello@digitalmarketingwf.com. The full agenda and registration details are available on the DMWF Asia website.

Readers can get 25% off their tickets by using the code TECHWIRE at checkout.

As the marketing landscape continues to transform, DMWF Asia 2025 stands as a beacon for professionals seeking to navigate the intersection of technology, creativity and customer engagement in the digital age.

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Apple is gearing up to give its Vision Pro headset a much-needed shot in the arm, hoping to spark fresh interest in the $3,500 device that, let’s be honest, hasn’t exactly flown off the shelves. The company is planning a visionOS 2.4 update that could arrive as soon as April, according to people familiar with the plans. Developers might even get their hands on a beta version this week.

Leading the charge is the arrival of Apple Intelligence – Apple’s in-house AI system – on the Vision Pro. It’s the first time these features are extending beyond iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Vision Pro owners can expect tools like Writing Tools, Genmojis, and the Image Playground app, all powered by the headset’s M2 chip and 16GB of memory, enabling smooth on-device AI processing.

The timing isn’t random. Apple is facing stiff competition: Google recently unveiled Android XR, a mixed-reality operating system built around its Gemini AI, with Samsung gearing up to launch a headset running the platform later this year – a device that, going from leaked images, looks suspiciously like Apple’s Vision Pro.

But for all the AI upgrades, the bigger story may be Apple’s struggle to figure out where the Vision Pro fits. Over the past year, sales have been slower than hoped – hardly a shock given the steep price. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook described the headset as an “early-adopter product,” aimed at people who want “tomorrow’s technology today.”

There’s even talk that production is winding down. A report from The Information suggested that Apple might stop making the current Vision Pro soon, although it has enough supply to meet demand for now. Apple’s attention, it seems, is shifting toward what comes next – though exactly what that is remains hazy.

What’s next for Vision Pro?

Apple’s roadmap for its mixed-reality lineup appears to be in flux. Early rumours hinted at a second-generation Vision Pro packed with advanced features, but that project seems to have been put on pause. Instead, Apple’s priority is now believed to be a more affordable version – something closer in price to a high-end iPhone. That model, however, isn’t expected until at least 2027, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

More immediately, a smaller update to the current Vision Pro is being rumoured. Apple could swap in its upcoming M5 chip, providing a performance boost and possibly unlocking more advanced Apple Intelligence features, including an improved version of Siri. However, don’t expect big design changes. The refresh would likely reuse parts from the first-generation model to clear out leftover inventory.

There’s also been talk of 5G connectivity, although that might be reserved for a proper Vision Pro 2 further down the road.

Beyond AI: A content push and a smarter guest mode

Alongside the AI upgrades, Apple is trying to tackle another criticism – the lack of content tailored to the Vision Pro. The upcoming update will introduce a spatial content app designed to showcase 3D images and panoramic photos sourced from external providers. Apple hopes this will give users more to explore and drive interest in spatial media, which has so far been slow to take off. Adding to the content push, an immersive arctic surfing video will drop on February 21 via the Vision Pro’s TV app – a small but notable effort to flesh out the media experience.

On the usability front, guest mode is getting an upgrade. Apple is making it easier for Vision Pro owners to let friends and family try out the headset. For the first time, users will be able to set up guest access from their iPhone, selecting which apps are available. Previously, this all had to be done on the headset itself, which made lending it out a bit of a hassle.

Siri and Apple’s AI growing pains

While the update is bringing ChatGPT integration into Writing Tools, fans hoping for a smarter Siri on Vision Pro might be disappointed for now. Apple had planned a major Siri overhaul alongside this update, but engineering setbacks have reportedly pushed the release to May.

That delay is part of a broader struggle for Apple Intelligence. Critics have noted that Apple’s AI rollout has felt rushed, with Writing Tools, for instance, described as clunky and poorly integrated into Apple’s usual text tools. By contrast, the Image Playground app has been praised for offering a more user-friendly approach to AI-generated content – the kind of experience people expect from Apple.

Apple’s AI ambitions are still a work in progress. The company is seen as playing catch-up to rivals like OpenAI, Google, and Meta. While Apple Intelligence has started rolling out, key regions like continental Europe and China are still waiting, raising concerns about the company’s ability to keep pace in the fast-moving AI race.

The long view is that despite the growing pains, Apple isn’t giving up on mixed reality or AI. The visionOS 2.4 update is a step toward keeping the Vision Pro relevant, even as the company works out the future of the product line. Whether it’s the rumoured M5 refresh, the eventual low-cost model, or something else entirely, Apple is clearly playing the long game. For now, though, Vision Pro remains a product for the few – those willing to pay top dollar for a glimpse into Apple’s vision of the future.

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AirTrunk, a leading name in hyperscale data centres across Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ), is strengthening its foothold in Malaysia with plans for JHB2—its second cloud and AI-ready data centre in Johor’s Iskandar Puteri region. Once fully operational, JHB2 will offer over 270 megawatts (MW) of capacity, meeting the growing needs of global cloud and tech giants setting up shop in the area.

The announcement comes only months after AirTrunk launched JHB1, its first data centre in Johor, which went live in July 2024 with over 150MW. The two projects represent a massive RM9.7 billion (A$3.5 billion) investment, pushing AirTrunk’s total capacity in Malaysia to more than 420MW.

Powering Malaysia’s digital future

JHB2 is set to sit within a key availability zone and will offer seamless cross-border connectivity for customers operating across Malaysia and Singapore. The project supports Malaysia’s digital transformation goals while aligning with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ)—a joint initiative aimed at driving regional growth.

Malaysia is positioning itself as the next big data centre hub in Asia, drawing global companies with land incentives and resources, especially as firms look beyond land-scarce Singapore. The approach is working—Johor was recently named Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing data centre market in 2024, driven partly by Singapore’s temporary pause on new data centres.

However, this rapid growth has brought challenges. Johor rejected nearly 30% of data centre applications in 2024, as authorities moved to protect local resources like water and electricity.

AirTrunk’s success in securing JHB2 despite this increasingly selective approval process highlights the company’s reputation and commitment to responsible, sustainable development.

Built for AI, built for the future

Like JHB1, JHB2 is built with AI in mind. It will feature advanced liquid cooling technology, allowing it to handle high-density AI workloads efficiently, all while keeping energy consumption in check.

JHB2’s design emphasises efficiency and sustainability. The facility will operate with a low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.25 and will provide customers with renewable energy options. However, since the proliferation of data centres in Malaysia raises concerns about water scarcity, JHB2 is addressing the resource challenge directly.

Addressing water scarcity with alternative solutions

Malaysia’s data centre expansion is putting pressure on public water supplies, particularly in Johor. The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has warned that demand from data centres in key states far exceeds availability, forcing the regulator to write new guidelines requiring operators to use alternative water sources such as reclaimed, rainwater, or treated wastewater.

These rules are expected to be enforced by mid-2025, with a target to eliminate data centres’ reliance on potable water within three years.

AirTrunk is already ahead of the curve. The company is exploring the use of treated greywater for cooling at both JHB1 and JHB2, aligning with the government’s push for alternative water sources.

Insiders confirm that AirTrunk’s sustainability plans will ensure both facilities are well-prepared to meet SPAN’s upcoming requirements.

Driving the clean energy transition

AirTrunk’s Net Zero 2030 target is more than just talk—the company is taking real steps to reduce its carbon footprint:

• One of Southeast Asia’s largest onsite solar installations is already up and running at JHB1.
• Malaysia’s first Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) has secured 30MW of renewable energy through the Corporate Green Power Programme.

At JHB2, AirTrunk is working with Malaysia’s utility provider, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), to fast-track high-voltage power supply within 12 months under TNB’s Green Lane Pathway for Data Centres.

The company is also providing land for a new substation, which will assist to improve the region’s power infrastructure.

Investing in local talent

AirTrunk’s involvement is more than just infrastructure; it’s also about people. Malaysia’s workforce is 90% local, with employees earning above-market salaries and having access to career development programs.

The company is supporting digital literacy initiatives and funding STEM scholarships at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to build up Malaysia’s future tech talent pipeline.

Pei Jet Lim, AirTrunk’s Country Head for Malaysia, summed it up this way:

“Combining long-term investment with high value local employment, training and social impact initiatives is central to our approach. As with JHB1, we have also continued to pioneer sustainable practices with JHB2, in line with our commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2030.”

Support from local leaders

The Menteri Besar of Johor, Dato’ Onn Hafiz Ghazi, praised AirTrunk’s continued commitment, emphasising its positive impact on jobs, skill development, and digital infrastructure:

“Ensuring high value employment and training opportunities, like those offered by AirTrunk, alongside the economic contribution of digital infrastructure also ensures a positive legacy for Johor. This will surely help in achieving the vision of Maju Johor by 2030.”

Expanding across Asia Pacific

With JHB2, AirTrunk’s regional footprint grows to 12 data centres across Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore—bringing total capacity to nearly 1.8 gigawatts (GW).

For Malaysia, this expansion is about more than building data hubs. It’s fueling cloud and AI innovation while delivering long-term value to the economy, workforce, and environment.

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