Tech On Me: APAC tech leaders says it's business as usual after Google's cookie decision

This week's focus 

My take: I spoke to some APAC tech leaders about the decision by Google. You can also watch what some of them think in the video below.

In other news

Meta’s new open-source AI app

Meta has unveiled its new AI model, Llama 3.1 405B, which the platform claims to rival leading products from OpenAI and Anthropic. In a blog post, Meta described the model as competitive across various tasks and emphasised its open-source nature. This allows developers to customise, train, and fine-tune the model for their needs without sharing data with Meta. This move potentially democratises access to one of the most potent AI models.

Additional safety features are in place for users accessing Llama on Meta's apps in the US, though these are not mandatory for all applications. Due to regulatory concerns, the model is currently available to users in 22 countries, excluding the EU.

My take: This open-source approach leverages Meta's financial strength, primarily generated from its social networks and future ventures like AR glasses and the metaverse, to drive innovation and attract developers.

This move positions Meta as a leader in AI development, but the AI landscape is evolving quickly, and now all eyes are on OpenAI’s forthcoming GPT-5. Since the release of GPT-4 in March 2023, competitors have poured billions into catching up, but no one has definitively surpassed it yet.

With companies like Meta, Xai, Anthropic, and Google working on their next-generation models, the question is whether OpenAI will again set a new standard with GPT-5. I am sure we will see continuous and parallel innovations across leading labs.

Grab buys Chope 

One of Singapore's most significant tech news this week was Grab's acquisition of the restaurant reservation platform Chope. This move aims to support small and medium-sized businesses, which comprise most of Grab's merchants, by providing them with better resources to grow and manage their operations efficiently. The acquisition is expected to enhance synergies for Grab’s merchant partners, especially in bridging online and offline business opportunities. While the financial details of the acquisition remain undisclosed, Grab confirmed that it will take over Chope’s operations in Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand.

My take: I appreciate Grab's focus on empowering small and medium-sized businesses. These enterprises often lack the resources and capabilities of more prominent brands, so integrating Chope’s services can level the playing field. 

Another intriguing aspect is the synergy between Chope's reservation system and Grab's platform. This integration could streamline the dining experience from booking to payment, making it incredibly convenient for users. It’s an intelligent way to enhance customer engagement and loyalty, leveraging the strengths of both platforms.

However, the lack of disclosed financial details about the acquisition does raise some questions for me. What was the cost, and how will it impact Grab’s financials? Additionally, managing operations across multiple countries—Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand—will require careful coordination to ensure smooth integration and maintain service quality.

Kakao founder in hot water 

Brian Kim, founder of Kakao, was arrested over accusations of manipulating stock prices while acquiring a K-pop agency, leading to a significant drop in Kakao's shares. A Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for Kim, labelling him a flight risk and highlighting concerns about potential evidence destruction. Kim has denied any involvement in the alleged stock manipulation. Prosecutors claim Kim manipulated the stock price of SM Entertainment, a South Korean K-pop talent company, to undermine competitor HYBE, the label behind BTS, during its sale in February 2023. Kakao eventually acquired SM Entertainment. Kim will be detained for up to 20 days for further investigation before prosecutors decide on formal charges.

My take: The impact of this arrest on Kakao as a company cannot be overlooked. Following the news, Kakao's shares dropped by 5.7% to $27.90. This incident underscores the importance of stringent corporate governance and ethical practices in maintaining market integrity and investor confidence. It also highlights potential significant disruptions when key industry figures face legal challenges. As the investigation unfolds, monitoring how Kakao navigates this crisis and what steps it takes to restore trust and stability will be crucial.

China-only AI chip

According to Reuters, Nvidia is developing a version of its latest AI chips, ‘B20’, tailored to comply with US export controls for the Chinese market. This new chip is part of the 'Blackwell' series, expected to be mass-produced later this year. The B200 chip within this series is significantly faster than its predecessor, especially in tasks like chatbot responses. Nvidia plans to collaborate with Inspur, a major distributor in China, to launch and distribute the B20, with shipments anticipated to begin in the second quarter of 2025. This move aims to counteract the challenges posed by US export restrictions imposed in 2023, which sought to limit China's advancements in supercomputing and military applications.

My take: Introducing the ‘B20’ chip means that advertisers and marketers in China will soon have access to some of the most advanced AI technology available. This opens new possibilities for data analysis, customer insights, and personalised marketing strategies. 

With AI models capable of processing and analysing vast amounts of data more efficiently, campaigns can be more precisely targeted and customised, leading to potentially higher engagement and conversion rates. I see brands quickly leveraging the B20 chip to gain an edge in crafting sophisticated and data-driven marketing strategies.

Looking ahead

Malaysia wants social-media platforms to tackle cybercrimes

Malaysia is urging social-media companies to address cybercrimes such as scams, cyberbullying, and child pornography. The government has noticed a significant rise in harmful online content and has called on platforms like Meta (Facebook), TikTok, and others to enhance their monitoring efforts.

In the first quarter of 2024, Malaysian authorities referred 51,638 cases to these platforms, a substantial increase from 42,904 cases in the previous year. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated that the government has directed these companies to address cybercrime and harmful content concerns.

Fahmi highlighted that Meta had the highest compliance rate with the government's requests, with Facebook at 85%, Instagram at 88%, and WhatsApp at 79%. TikTok complied at 76%, Telegram at 65%, and X at 25%. However, some platforms are less cooperative than others. Fahmi also noted that while the Malaysian communications regulator could flag illegal content, the final decision to remove it rests with the platforms based on their community guidelines.

My take: I see a proactive step towards addressing a pressing issue. The country's move to push platforms like Meta and TikTok to enhance their monitoring is necessary, given the sharp rise in harmful online content. With over 51,000 cases referred to these platforms in the first quarter of 2024 alone, it's clear that the problem is escalating.

However, comparing this to Singapore's approach I previously wrote about, I notice some similarities and significant differences. Singapore has introduced a comprehensive code of practice beyond just urging cooperation from social-media companies. Their law requires platforms to not only moderate content but to also report back on their actions, with stringent penalties for non-compliance. This creates a structured and enforceable framework that could serve as a model for other countries. 

Malaysia's strategy, while commendable, lacks the same level of enforceability. The reliance on platforms to voluntarily comply with requests to remove harmful content leaves room for inconsistency, as highlighted by the varying compliance rates among different platforms. It will be interesting to see if the government comes up with more measures.