A Eye on AI - August 23, 2026, 12 PM Eastern

APEC ministers back open-source AI models in rare consensusAfrican firms mix Chinese and Western AI models for cost and flexibilityHong Kong launches AI training program, renames board Upskill Hong KongA Eye on AI - 12:30 PMOn this edition of A Eye on AI: ministers across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum issued a rare joint statement supporting open-source AI models at a Chengdu forum, a sign of consensus in a debate often cast as a US-China contest. The shift reflects the economics — an open Chinese model can cost 60 to 90 per cent less to operate than leading US systems, which matters for countries seeking sovereign AI. In Africa, businesses are taking a pragmatic multi-model approach: Nigeria-based insurtech Curacel uses Chinese models like GLM-5.3 for high-volume tasks while keeping Western systems for the most demanding reasoning, according to CEO Henry Mascot. And in Hong Kong, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po announced a November launch for an AI training programme run by the Employees Retraining Board, which will be renamed Upskill Hong Kong; the city's HK$50 million AI for All initiative will host more than 200 activities and reach an estimated 50,000 people within two years.Sources:- SCMP — Asia: https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3364157/asia-reaching-open-road-chinese-ai-offers?utm_source=rss_feed- SCMP — Asia: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364966/african-firms-adopting-chinese-ai-us-china-rivalry-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed- SCMP — Asia: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3364965/major-tech-firms-help-upskill-hong-kong-workers-under-ai-all-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feedhttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-eye-on-ai--7245888