The National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School and Tencent co-hosted the “Technology for Good: Driving Social Impact” conference on 19 November 2025, bringing together 100 academics, industry leaders, and policymakers. The event, held at NUS Business School, focused on how technology can promote inclusion and social progress across Asia. This conference marked a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between NUS, Tencent, and the China Association for NGO Cooperation (CANGO).
The conference followed a global research call launched in April 2025, which attracted 134 submissions on AI inclusion, ethics, and corporate responsibility. From these, 60 proposals were shortlisted and developed into full research papers, commentaries, or videos, competing for nine awards. The Best Paper Award was given to Yukun Zhang and Tianyang Zhang for their work on an economic model addressing information pollution from generative AI. The Best Commentary Award went to a team from the Hertie School, University College London, and Berlin Social Science Centre for their analysis of AI regulation in China and the European Union.
Building on this success, NUS and Tencent signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to extend their partnership into 2026. This will include another research call and conference related to Technology for Good. Professor Lawrence Loh of NUS emphasised the potential of technology as a catalyst for good when guided by ethical leadership. Tencent’s Xiao Liming highlighted the company’s commitment to social good through technology.
The conference underscored the importance of cross-sector partnerships in harnessing technology for social impact, as noted by Xu Xiaoxiao of CANGO. Further announcements regarding the partnership’s future initiatives are expected in 2026.
