The APAC Data Innovation Summit 2026 took place on 12 March 2026 at the Equarius Hotel, located within Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. The 5th Annual Data Innovation Summit APAC, brought together over 40 visionary speakers and a powerhouse crowd of data, analytics, and AI leaders. The summit centered on a critical theme for the year: “AI at Scale: Preparing for the Thousand-Agents Future”.
The 40+ international speakers created more than 40 sessions across dedicated stages including the AI Value & Strategy Stage, Modern Data Strategy Stage, and Business and Data Analytics Stage. These sessions covered critical topics such as AI at scale, generative AI, machine learning, data governance, data engineering, and modern data strategies. Through expert talks and real-world case studies, attendees gained insights into how leading organizations are leveraging data and AI to enhance customer experiences, optimize operations, and build innovative data-driven products and services.
A recurring theme across the summit’s four stages was the necessity of a “trusted data backbone” to support the next generation of Enterprise AI.
Navigating the GenAI and Agentic AI Era
As organizations move beyond experimentation, speakers addressed the “integrity gap” in AI implementation. Michal Polanowski (Michal Polanowski, MBA, PhD Head of Generative AI, Group Technology Office, ST Engineering) delivered a candid keynote on why 95% of GenAI projects fail and how to pivot toward real ROI. Meanwhile, Neha Joshi (Head of Data at SPH Media) shared practical frameworks for unlocking data potential in the GenAI era.
The shift toward autonomous agents performing complex tasks, or better known as Agentic AI, was a major highlight. Suhas Awasthi (Head of AI & Data Engineering, Sentosa Development Corporation) and Stu Garrow (Precisely) discussed the transition to a multi-agent future. They emphasized that for AI agents to be reliable, they require high-integrity, contextual data that unifies integration, observability, and geo-addressing.
Expert Perspectives on Governance and Scale
The summit featured deep dives into the technical contracts required for AI success. Erdem Saltan (Head of Data at Kariyer.net R&D Center) introduced the concept of AI-Expanded Data Contracts, arguing that “executable SQL does not equal business correctness”. His session highlighted how to avoid semantic drift and verification gaps in AI-driven analytics. 
On the Modern Data Strategy Stage, moderated by Usha Balasundaram (S&P Global), leaders explored how to make scale inevitable. Dor Kedem (Standard Chartered) broke down the specific technology and process shifts required to move AI from a pilot phase to an enterprise-wide reality.
The day was marked by a high-level dialogue between Dr. Ghim-Eng Yap (GovTech Singapore) and Usha Balasundaram, looking toward the next era of Applied AI and MLOps. The consensus was set on: the magic of innovation happens when robust governance meets the agility of modern data science.
In addition to this agenda, the summit created valuable opportunities for networking, technology demonstrations, and interactive discussions, bringing together around 320 delegates. Attendees represented a diverse mix of government organizations, banking and financial services, retail enterprises, startups, academia, and leading technology providers, making the summit a dynamic platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and cross-industry insights.
The event ultimately served as a powerful platform to connect leaders, share best practices, and accelerate AI-driven innovation across industries in the APAC region.
The global tour continues in three continents:
- May 6–8: Data Innovation Summit 2026 (11th Edition) | Stockholm, Sweden
- May 20–21: Data Innovation Summit MEA | Dubai, UAE
- September 17: Data Innovation Summit ANZ | Sydney, Australia
This event held in Singapore signalled a successful continuation and introduction for the next event:
The Leading and Most Influential Applied Data, Analytics & AI Event in the world – Data Innovation Summit 2026 (11th Edition) | Stockholm, Sweden
