DBS chief says Hong Kong can bridge China's AI innovation with global markets
DBS CEO Tan Su Shan says Hong Kong can connect China's AI advances with the world. She spoke ahead of DBS's Asia Future Forward Conference, noting AI has generated SG$1 billion for the bank. DBS plans to hire 600 staff in Hong Kong by 2028 and expand wealth and digital-asset businesses.
Hong Kong can serve as a natural bridge between China's artificial-intelligence innovation and the rest of the world, according to DBS chief executive Tan Su Shan. She made the remarks ahead of DBS's inaugural Asia Future Forward Conference on Monday, where she is scheduled to hold a dialogue with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and other business leaders, including TikTok chief executive Shou Chew.
Tan said Hong Kong is well placed to absorb advances in small language models, optimisation and enterprise AI. The city can then help Chinese firms use it as a financial hub to trade, connect digitally and share capabilities with the wider region. DBS will continue to grow its wealth management, financial-institution, capital-markets, tokenised-gold and digital-asset businesses in Hong Kong, she added.
The bank's mission is to become an AI-enabled bank with a heart, moving from AI-enabled to AI-powered and eventually AI-native. Tan noted that DBS has learned from early failures, scaled classical AI, and now uses generative and agentic AI. Tools such as Aura, Clara and Joy give bankers, including relationship managers, more time for customers, judgement and creativity. “AI should save humans, not just jobs,” Tan said, adding that trust, data safety and doing the right thing are central to AI development.
Tan said AI and machine learning have generated SG$1 billion (HK$6.1 billion) in economic value for the bank so far. Shee Tse Koon, head of consumer banking and wealth management, said DBS plans to hire 600 frontline advisors and platform engineers by 2028. He added that AI has improved customer and employee experiences and produced positive outcomes, with more accounts opened and funds moving sooner and faster. AI has also helped retail customers become savvier investors.