APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra (left) and Professor Yutaka Matsuo, University of Tokyo (right)

On 7 January 2026, APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata paid a courtesy visit to Professor Yutaka Matsuo at the University of Tokyo to discuss potential collaboration between the APO and Matsuo Lab on AI-related initiatives.
Secretary-General Dr. Indra expressed his appreciation for Professor Matsuo’s candid perspectives on AI implementation, particularly the importance of using evidence-based approaches and learning from proven success stories. He emphasized the APO’s interest in working with leading academic and research institutions to support member economies in adopting AI in a practical, responsible, and productivity-enhancing manner, in line with the APO Vision 2030 and the Strategic Partnership Program (SPP).

Both sides exchanged views on possible areas of cooperation, including documenting successful AI use cases, developing practical frameworks to assess AI readiness at the enterprise and country levels, and sharing knowledge to help avoid repeated failures in AI adoption. The discussion also explored the potential role of the APO’s Genuine AI Action (GAIA) initiative as a platform for translating technical expertise into capacity building and peer learning across APO member economies.

The meeting affirmed the shared interest of the APO and Matsuo Lab in strengthening collaboration between academia, government, and industry to promote the effective and responsible use of AI for productivity growth in the Asia-Pacific region.