2nd GAIA Public Symposium

APO GAIA brought together AI leaders and policymakers to advance responsible AI, talent development, and international cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region.

Tokyo, 30 July 2026 — The Asian Productivity Organization (APO), in collaboration with the United Nations University (UNU) and the Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory of the University of Tokyo, convened the APO Genuine AI Action (GAIA) Briefing and Networking Session for Embassies of APO Member Economies in Tokyo and the Second GAIA Public Symposium on 30 July 2026.
The events brought together government officials, ambassadors and diplomats, representatives of international organizations and academic institutions, and AI experts to strengthen international cooperation on responsible AI, talent development, and productivity enhancement across the Asia-Pacific region.
Held at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) of the University of Tokyo, the GAIA Briefing and Networking Session introduced representatives of APO member economy embassies to the APO’s vision for promoting trustworthy, inclusive, and productivity-driven AI.
The briefing addressed four principal areas: the APO–Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory GAIA Internship Program, with Indonesia serving as the pilot economy; preparations for the proposed APO–UNU GAIA Summit; the international cooperation activities of the Hiroshima AI Process Secretariat; and the work of the Presidential Council on National AI Strategy of the Republic of Korea.

Principal speakers and contributors included:
⦁ Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata, Secretary-General of the APO;
⦁ Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Rector of UNU;
⦁ Yukio Teramura, Assistant Vice-Minister for International Affairs and Head of the Hiroshima AI Process Secretariat, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan;
⦁ Jiyun Kim, Director of the AI Talent Development Team, Presidential Council on National AI Strategy, Republic of Korea; and
⦁ Akihiro Nakano, Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory, the University of Tokyo.

Participants received updates on the APO’s ongoing GAIA activities and opportunities for cooperation in AI capacity building, responsible technology adoption, talent development, and productivity improvement.
Professor Marwala highlighted the importance of effective AI governance and international cooperation in ensuring that emerging technologies contribute to sustainable development. The session also presented Japan’s international cooperation efforts through the Hiroshima AI Process and the Republic of Korea’s policies and programs for cultivating AI talent.
Representatives of the Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory introduced its AI education and talent development initiatives as well as the APO–Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory GAIA Internship Program. The program aims to provide graduates of the laboratory’s AI training courses with opportunities to apply their knowledge through practical internships and professional learning experiences. Indonesia is serving as the pilot economy, with the potential for the program to be expanded to other APO member economies.
The afternoon continued with the Second GAIA Public Symposium under the theme “Building AI Readiness: Safety, Talent, and International Cooperation.” The symposium examined how economies can prepare for the accelerating adoption of AI by strengthening institutional capacity, cultivating skilled talent, advancing responsible AI research, and expanding international partnerships.

The distinguished speakers were:
⦁ Yukio Teramura, Assistant Vice-Minister and Head of the Hiroshima AI Process Secretariat, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan;
⦁ Jonathan Berry, Director of Policy, Office of Professor Yoshua Bengio;
⦁ Jiyun Kim, Director of the AI Talent Development Team, Presidential Council on National AI Strategy, Republic of Korea;
⦁ Huy H. Nguyen, Chief Research Scientist for Responsible AI, SB Intuitions; and
⦁ Akira Igata, Project Lecturer, RCAST, the University of Tokyo, who moderated the discussion.

The panel explored practical approaches to AI safety evaluation, national AI strategies, AI talent development, open-weight AI models, and international cooperation. Speakers emphasized the importance of balancing innovation with effective governance and safeguards so that AI can contribute to sustainable economic growth and productivity while emerging risks are appropriately managed.
Through the GAIA initiative, the APO continues to strengthen regional and international collaboration and build an ecosystem that enables its member economies to harness AI responsibly for greater productivity, innovation, and sustainable development.
The panel discussed practical approaches to AI safety evaluation, national AI strategies, talent development, open-weight AI models, and international cooperation to ensure that AI contributes to sustainable economic growth and productivity while managing emerging risks.
Through the GAIA initiative, the APO continues to strengthen regional collaboration and build an ecosystem that enables member economies to harness AI responsibly for higher productivity, innovation, and sustainable development.