AI is advancing faster than previous waves of technological change, raising a profound economic question: will the productivity gains from AI translate into broadly shared prosperity, or will they accrue disproportionately to capital, highly skilled workers and the companies that control the technology? The answer will shape productivity, employment, wages, inequality and economic competitiveness — and whether governments, businesses and financial institutions are prepared for a labour market in which many of today’s skills are rapidly changing. The conversation will explore what history can — and cannot — tell us about technological disruption, whether AI could break the traditional link between growth and employment, and what policy choices will determine who captures the AI dividend.

Digital assets need people who know how finance works, but moving into the sector is rarely a clean switch. In this Ask-Me-Anything, Next Gen Leader Wee Siang Lee, Executive Director and Head of APAC Compliance, Paxos speaks with Daniel Cheok, Chief Executive Officer, Cactus Custody. They compare two routes across: one taken early in a career, the other after 22 years in banking. The last couple minutes are open to the floor, so bring your questions.

About the Next Gen Leaders initiative:
The Next Gen Leaders initiative recognises and supports the rising generation of leaders shaping the future of finance and technology. The initiative aims to identify aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, builders, and early-career professionals, anchor them to the GFTN community, empower them with fintech knowledge, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial access, and connect them globally through GFTN’s ecosystem.

Digital infrastructure can lower barriers to financial services, markets and public support, but access alone does not guarantee participation or prosperity. The harder task is building the skills, institutions, trust and locally relevant services that let people and businesses turn connectivity into opportunity. Digital infrastructure must also be trusted, secure, resilient and designed around real-world needs. Drawing on experience across policy, development and fintech, this session examines what helps digital systems reach underserved communities, support livelihoods and strengthen local economies, and where infrastructure-led strategies fall short. Attendees will leave with a clearer view of the capabilities required to turn digital infrastructure into trusted ecosystems for genuinely inclusive growth and resilience.