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Asia Pacific Governments Embrace Sovereign AI as a Strategic National Priority, but Scale Hinges on Trust, Skills, and Infrastructure Readiness
- New IDC research commissioned by Dell Technologies finds Sovereign AI has surged to the second-highest investment priority for Asia Pacific governments.
- Almost all (99%) government leaders in Asia Pacific believe agentic AI will accelerate AI adoption with the majority calling for strong governance frameworks to unlock its full potential at scale.
- Nine in 10 government organizations report critical skills shortages that could determine whether pilots become trusted national platforms.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 May 2026 – New research commissioned by Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) and conducted by International Data Corporation (IDC), reveals that governments across Asia Pacific (APJ) are moving decisively from AI exploration toward structured activation of Sovereign AI.
The study, based on a survey of 360 government IT decision-makers across eight APJ markets, finds that Sovereign AI has risen from the seventh to the second-highest government investment priority in just one year. This signals a fundamental shift in how the region’s public sector leaders view AI, seeing it as critical national digital infrastructure rather than a simple technology upgrade.
APJ governments are shifting from awareness to activation, but investment needs to catch up
The research reveals that Asia Pacific governments have moved well beyond conceptual discussion. Nearly half (46.1%) are actively evaluating Sovereign AI technologies, while more than a third (36.1%) are running initial proofs of concept.
This activation is underpinned by a clear strategic rationale. More than three-quarters (76.9%) of government leaders agree that investing in Sovereign AI enhances their agency’s resilience against geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions.
Despite this, only 3.1% are investing significantly so far. Meanwhile, only 1.7% of respondents say they have no plans to adopt Sovereign AI.
Across the region, governments are pursuing “selective sovereignty” to maintain strong control over sensitive data, critical systems, and regulated workloads, while continuing to leverage global technology ecosystems for innovation and scale. Hybrid sovereign models that combine on-premises infrastructure and sovereign cloud environments with broader ecosystem access are emerging as the preferred deployment approach.
Agentic AI poised to accelerate government AI adoption across Asia Pacific
Asia Pacific government leaders are signalling near-universal confidence in agentic AI as a catalyst for accelerating AI adoption in the public sector. The research reveals that 99% of leaders see agentic AI as an accelerator, with more than a third (36.9%) believing it will play a major role and a further 62.1% expressing strong confidence in its potential when paired with robust governance and oversight frameworks. Only 1.1% remain uncertain.
This positions Asia Pacific as bullish on agentic AI suggesting the region’s governments are not hesitating on agentic AI, rather, they are actively preparing the governance foundations that will allow them to deploy it with confidence and at scale.
This confidence is driven in part by operational necessity. With nearly nine in 10 APJ government organizations reporting critical digital skills shortages, agentic AI is emerging as a practical workforce multiplier, capable of automating complex administrative and analytical tasks and enabling government teams to deliver more with the talent they have. In a region where technology is outpacing workforce capability faster than the global average, autonomous AI systems offer a path to close the gap between ambition and capacity.
In this context, Sovereign AI is increasingly functioning as the trust layer that unlocks the adoption of next-generation AI capabilities. By ensuring that agentic and generative AI systems operate within national policy, security, and auditability frameworks, governments can move faster precisely because the right controls are in place from the outset.
Skills shortages emerge as the region’s most critical constraint
Despite strong strategic intent, APJ governments face acute workforce bottlenecks that risk constraining the transition from pilot to production. Nearly nine in 10 organizations report digital skills shortages, and more than half say these shortages are having a major impact on digital initiatives, significantly more so than the global average of 66.8%.
The hardest-to-hire roles map directly to Sovereign AI readiness: AI safety and alignment researchers (42.5%), data architecture, management, and analytics professionals (35%), sovereign data governance (30%), sovereign cloud architecture and operations specialists (25.3%), and AI policy and governance specialists (25%).
The research findings recommend a four-layer capability model in which governments retain direct ownership of policy, governance, and data stewardship roles while partnering with trusted ecosystem providers for frontier AI specialization and delivery at scale.
Mission-critical public services drive investment priorities
Governments expect Sovereign AI to deliver the greatest citizen benefit in high-consequence public domains. National security and cyber-resilience top the list at 45.6%, followed by justice and public safety (37.5%), financial and taxation (37.5%), public healthcare (34.4%), social services and welfare (32.2%), education (31.7%), and workforce development (31.1%).
Investment decisions are increasingly policy-led. More than half (53.3%) of government leaders cite alignment with national security and sovereign priorities as the top factor in technology investment decisions, followed by security capabilities and reliability of technology providers (52.5%). Four of the top six decision factors are directly linked to sovereignty considerations.
Perspectives:
“This research confirms what we’re hearing from government leaders across Asia Pacific: the question is no longer whether Sovereign AI matters, but how to operationalize it at national scale,” said Nicole Jefferson, Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Dell Technologies. “What stands out is the region’s confidence in agentic AI as an accelerator and the understanding that strong governance is an enabler of progression, not a hinderance. The findings show a region that is serious, structured, and pragmatic about building AI capabilities it can trust. Governments want partners who understand that sovereign-ready infrastructure, skills transfer, and governance maturity are inseparable from the technology itself. At Dell Technologies, we’re committed to helping public sector organizations build AI on their own terms – with the security, resilience, and openness that mission-critical national services demand.”
“Agentic AI is moving quickly from concept to practical consideration for government and executive decision-makers,” said Ravikant Sharma, Research Director, IDC. “The study shows strong momentum, with public sector leaders looking to autonomous systems to help close skills gaps, ease workforce pressure and accelerate AI adoption. However, that momentum is conditional. Governments will only move at scale if they have confidence in the security, privacy, sovereignty and infrastructure foundations underpinning these systems.”
About the study
The findings are drawn from IDC’s Asia Pacific Government Survey, conducted in December 2025 on behalf of Dell Technologies. The survey polled 360 government IT decision-makers supplemented by 13 in-depth interviews with senior government officials across eight markets: Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea. Respondent organizations spanned national civilian government, defense, financial administration, public safety, healthcare, education, critical infrastructure, and other public sector functions. To view the full Asia Pacific research findings, click here: building-a-sovereign-ai-foundation-for-apj-governments.pdf
IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Dell Technologies, Building a Sovereign AI Foundation for Asia/Pacific Governments, #AP24257IB, May 2026
Hashtag: #Dell
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About Dell Technologies
Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) helps organizations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play. The company provides customers with the industry’s broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the AI era.
Copyright © 2026 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell Technologies and Dell are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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The 1st Taiwan International Plant-Based Festival Launches in Singapore: Showcasing Taiwan’s Sustainable and Creative Farming and Aesthetics Through Mango Pineapples and Orchids
The Ministry of Agriculture stated that the festival’s first wave debuted from May 30 to June 1 during the “2026 Singapore Vesak Day Celebrations”. In partnership with Fo Guang Shan (Singapore), this initiative successfully integrated Taiwanese agricultural products into a religious, cultural, and festive setting for a cross-domain showcase. The event especially highlighted Taiwan’s new agricultural innovation, the “Mango Pineapple (Tainung No. 23)“. Celebrated for its delicate flesh and intense aroma, it blends a tropical mango-like fragrance with the perfect sweet-and-sour pineapple flavor, demonstrating Taiwan’s achievements in fruit breeding and quality research. On-site tasting sessions drew crowds of local residents, allowing Singaporean consumers to directly experience the sweet, juicy, and distinctive charm of Taiwan’s mango pineapples.
In addition to the featured fruits, Taiwanese floriculture emerged as a major highlight of the event. Premium Taiwanese Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) adorned the official Vesak Day banquet venue, with their elegant shapes, diverse colors, and exceptional longevity, proudly demonstrating the global competitiveness of Taiwan’s orchid industry in breeding and cultivation. Concurrently, Taiwanese Oncidium orchids—also known as dancing lady orchids—were seamlessly integrated into the decor at Fo Guang Shan (Singapore). This harmony of floral artistry and festive space beautifully presented a refined, elegant, and culturally rich aesthetic image of Taiwanese agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture noted that Singapore is Taiwan’s 9th-largest export market for agricultural products, with the export value reaching USD 130 million in 2025 (Year 114), making it a vital hub for Taiwan’s expansion into Southeast Asia and global high-end markets. The “Taiwan International Plant-Based Festival” is far more than a standard agricultural promotion; it is a premium brand showcase centered on plant-based dining, sustainable agriculture, and exquisite fruits and flowers. Through these festive experiences, culinary applications, and curated exhibitions, the initiative aims to deepen the Singaporean market’s recognition of and appreciation for Taiwanese agricultural products.
Hashtag: #MinistryofAgriculture #YMSpring
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Media OutReach
Vinpearl Expands Partnerships In The Philippines, Strengthening Brand Presence Across Southeast Asia
The MoUs were signed during the Vietnam–Philippines Business Forum, held as part of the official visit by Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm to the Republic of the Philippines.
The partnership with CAITO aims to enhance Vinpearl’s brand awareness within the Philippines’ travel trade community while creating additional opportunities to develop hospitality, entertainment and MICE offerings in Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Da Nang. CAITO is currently one of the Philippines’ leading tourism organizations, with an extensive network of travel businesses across the region.
With Klook, one of Asia’s leading travel experience platforms, Vinpearl and VinWonders aim to expand their strategic collaboration across distribution, communications and tourism promotion in key international markets, particularly the Philippines and broader Southeast Asia. The partnership is expected to expand the presence of the Vinpearl–VinWonders ecosystem in major international markets, while further elevating Vietnam’s tourism image across global travel and digital media platforms.
Ms. Ngo Thi Huong, Chief Executive Officer of Vinpearl, shared: “Through these agreements in the Philippines, alongside a series of partnership initiatives in Thailand and Singapore, Vinpearl aims to drive high-quality inbound tourism to Vietnam, strengthen connectivity among ASEAN markets, and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam’s tourism industry. With an integrated ecosystem spanning hospitality, entertainment, golf, and commercial services, Vinpearl remains committed to pioneering world-class experiences that contribute to positioning Vietnam as a leading destination in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Mr. Michelle Ho, Chief Executive Officer of Klook Philippines, said: “Vinpearl currently operates one of the region’s most distinctive tourism and entertainment ecosystems, with strong capabilities in integrating hospitality, theme parks and premium leisure experiences. We believe our partnership with Vinpearl will further enhance the appeal of Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Da Nang among travelers across the region.”
Previously, during its business engagements in Thailand and Singapore, Vinpearl also entered into MoUs with Agoda, AirAsia MOVE, BeMyGuest and GlobalTix to expand international distribution channels for its hospitality, resort and travel experience offerings.
Together with the agreements established in the Philippines, this series of partnerships with leading regional players across aviation, travel trade, digital tourism, and travel distribution reflects Vinpearl’s ongoing efforts to build a comprehensive international market development network across Southeast Asia.
Beyond expanding its partner ecosystem, these collaborations provide a foundation for Vinpearl to strengthen its presence in key markets, engage more effectively with international travelers, and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam’s tourism industry within the region.
Hashtag: #Vinpearl
https://vinpearl.com/enThe issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About CAITO
CAITO (Calabarzon Alliance of Independent Tour Operators, Inc.) ONE CALABARZON is an association of independent travel businesses and tourism partners in the Philippines, established in 2020. With a rapidly expanding member network and close collaboration with the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT), CAITO has become one of the country’s most dynamic tourism organizations, playing an active role in tourism promotion, business connectivity and international collaboration, particularly in the areas of MICE and B2B. The organization is anchored in a vision to promote Philippine destinations, tourism products, cultural heritage, cuisine, and services while strengthening the country’s tourism identity through collaboration, shared promotion, and collective growth.
About Klook
Klook is one of the leading travel experience platforms in the Asia-Pacific region, offering attractions, tours, transportation, accommodation, and travel services on a global scale. To date, Klook has recorded more than 65 million bookings across over 200 markets, supporting more than 40 payment methods alongside e-ticketing services and 24/7 customer support.
The platform currently operates a community of more than 30,000 content creators across 88 markets, helping promote tourism and inspire exploration for millions of travelers worldwide.
About Vinpearl
Vinpearl is Vietnam’s leading tourism, hospitality and entertainment brand, currently operating 60 properties across 20 provinces and cities nationwide. Its ecosystem includes a network of five-star hotels and resorts with more than 17,500 rooms; 16 VinWonders theme parks offering a wide range of attractions for all audiences; six world-class golf courses; and three international-standard convention centers and theaters under the VinPalace brand. The ecosystem also features two semi-wildlife conservation and care parks, an equestrian academy, and million-dollar live-action shows in Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, attracting millions of visitors each year.
Following a rigorous global search, Prof. Li was selected for his exceptional track record in academic leadership, medical education, and biomedical innovation, as well as his unique experience in founding a new medical school.
Prof. Li previously served as Founding Dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) from 2016 to 2021—one of the world’s pioneering engineering-based medical schools. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in developing a technology-oriented curriculum, recruiting founding faculty, and building academic-clinical partnerships. Under his leadership, the College’s early graduating cohorts achieved a 100% pass rate in licensing examinations, reflecting the outstanding quality and rigorous standards of the programme.
An internationally distinguished physician-scientist and biomedical innovator, Prof. Li currently holds the titles of Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, as well as Adjunct Professor of Radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. His career spans leading institutions including Stanford University, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, Wake Forest School of Medicine, and UIUC. He holds a Doctor of Medicine (with Honours) from the University of Toronto and an MBA from San José State University.
Prof. Li’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment as HKUST advances its plans to establish a new School of Medicine. The School will offer a four-year graduate-entry MBBS programme, with its inaugural cohort expected to commence in the 2028/29 academic year.
His experience aligns closely with HKUST’s vision to develop a future-ready medical school that integrates clinical excellence with engineering, data science, and emerging technologies. His proven approach to training physician-innovators—combining strong clinical foundations with interdisciplinary expertise—will provide a robust foundation for the School’s development, while being adapted to HKUST’s unique strengths in science and technology.
Known for his commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, Prof. Li has consistently bridged fields such as radiology, bioengineering, computer science, and nanotechnology—an approach that will be instrumental in shaping HKUST’s innovative model of medical education.
Beyond medical education, Prof. Li is a highly accomplished innovator. He is a Fellow of the US National Academy of Inventors and has received the Gold Medal of the Association of University Radiologists. He is also a Fellow of several leading professional bodies, including the American College of Radiology, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. He holds 20 issued patents across the United States, Australia, and Europe, and has founded a company based on his translational research.
Prof. Harry SHUM, Chairman of HKUST Council, said, “I would like to extend my warmest welcome to Prof. Li on his appointment as our Founding Dean of the School of Medicine. His proven expertise and experience are invaluable to the University as we plan to develop a distinctive model of medical education for the future. We have full confidence in his exceptional leadership in spearheading our medical school, which is one of the most significant undertakings in HKUST’s 35‑year history. The Council is committed to giving its support to ensure the success of the School.”
Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST, said, “Prof. Li brings a rare combination of founding dean experience, academic excellence, and a forward-looking vision for technology-driven medical education. His leadership will be central to building a medical school that is globally competitive, locally relevant, and impactful for Hong Kong and the wider region. We warmly welcome Prof. Li to the University and look forward to his leadership in the establishment of the HKUST School of Medicine, as well as in shaping a new generation of medical professionals and advancing innovation in healthcare. I also extend our sincere appreciation to the Search Committee, chaired by Ms. Edith SHIH (Vice-Chairperson of the Council), and its members including Prof. FOK Tai-Fai and Prof. Raymond LIANG for their dedication and diligence in completing this important international recruitment process.”
Prof. King Li, Founding Dean of the School of Medicine, said,”I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the Founding Dean of HKUST’s new School of Medicine. Returning to Hong Kong—where my roots are—to take on this role at HKUST and having the chance to give back through the place I grew up, is deeply meaningful to me. HKUST has a remarkable track record of turning bold visions into reality, and I am excited to build a medical school that reimagines physician training through the integration of engineering, data science, and biomedical innovation. Drawing on my experience and working closely with our partners in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, I look forward to nurturing a new generation of physician-innovators who will transform healthcare for the benefit of patients and society.”
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Prof. Li brings with him a strong personal commitment to advancing Hong Kong as an international hub for medical education and innovation. He has long-standing ties with the local academic and medical communities.
The University community is expected to provide its full support to Prof. Li as he expands partnerships with teaching hospitals, the government, industry, and the global medical community, and further strengthens connections with the Greater Bay Area and other regions.
Hashtag: #HKUST
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (
https://hkust.edu.hk/) is a world-class university known for its innovative education, research excellence, and impactful knowledge transfer. With a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy approach, HKUST was ranked 6th in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, 3rd in the Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2024, and 19th globally and 1st in Hong Kong in the Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings 2025. Eleven HKUST subjects were ranked among the world’s top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. In addition, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026, HKUST’s Computer Science discipline which encompasses areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, has been ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong for ten consecutive years. Our graduates are highly competitive, consistently ranking among the world’s top 30 most sought-after employees. In terms of research and entrepreneurship, over 80% of our work was rated “internationally excellent” or “world leading” in the Research Assessment Exercise 2020 of the Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee. As of May 2026, HKUST members have founded over 1,900 active start-ups, including 11 Unicorns and 22 exits (IPO or M&A).
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