Learners of the NUS-ISS Learning Festival 2025 registering for the event
Despite the gloomy skies on Friday, 5 September 2025, the NUS-ISS campus was abuzz with excitement as learners streamed in as early as 8:30am. The air was buzzing with energy as they waited in line to register their attendance for the much-anticipated 10th edition of the Learning Festival.
One of the first to arrive, Patrick Lai, Managing Director of PC Properties LLP, shared his excitement: "This year, I was really looking forward to learning about AI, the mega trends and their applications. I knew it would be an exciting day."
And it truly was. 31 industry speakers and 23 NUS-ISS practice-based lecturers took centre stage to speak at the 26 sessions made up of talks, fireside chats, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops. Close to 1,500 learners joined the sessions onsite and virtually through livestream, making this a record turnout for the Learning Festival.
The energy level was high, the conversations sparkled with clear directives - how artificial intelligence is powering smarter systems, and reshaping industries such as healthcare, cybersecurity, digital banking, and beyond. The Learning Festival was designed to feel like a celebration of ideas exchange and exploration of the emerging AI trends.
One of the crowd favourites was the session on “How Enterprises are Adopting AI & Where It Is Heading”. Panelists went beyond buzzwords and shared how businesses are embedding AI into their core, shifting from experiments to enterprise-wide strategies. They also spotlighted both challenges like trust and skills, and opportunities ranging from quick wins in efficiency to long-term transformation of business models and customer experiences.
Panel discussion on the topic – How Enterprises are Adopting AI & Where It Is Heading
Another session that drew a full house was “Reimagining the Future: Solution (Agentic AI) Architect” where the speaker painted a vivid picture of how AI is transforming enterprise architecture, from frameworks and models to governance, and how tools like machine learning and automation can drive greater innovation and agility.
A full house of learners and industry professionals exchanging insights on digital innovation at the Learning Festival.
Reflecting on the Learning Festival’s growing impact on industries, NUS-ISS Deputy CEO Victor Chua said: “At NUS-ISS, we are committed to bringing learners and industries together. The Learning Festival is a valuable platform to explore ideas beyond the classroom and engage with hot topics like AI that are shaping our digital-first world. We look forward to making it even better in the years ahead as we continue to curate the conversations that matter most to our community.”
In his session “A Day in the Life of an Agentic AI”, Mr Felix Goh, Strategic Lead for Singapore and Education sector from Google Cloud, shared: “One of the key things I really want learners to focus on is to look at the possibilities of AI. Not just fearing it or using it for simple daily life use cases, but how they can actually use it more effectively to enhance their productivity and efficiency, in their personal life and at work as well.”
Kenneth Koh, Deputy Director at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, reminded participants: “AI is here to stay and learning how to use AI is very important in the near future. They will just be like your work assistant, your tools, and remember, don’t let AI control your life. Control AI!”
Together, these insights served as a timely reminder: AI should not be seen as a threat or a passing trend, but as an essential tool to be mastered. By adopting the right mindset, individuals can harness AI to elevate their work, expand possibilities, and remain in control of how technology shapes their lives.
This year’s Learning Festival may be over, but the journey of discovery continues. Until we meet again next year, let’s keep the momentum going as we reinforce lifelong and continuous learning to better deliver impact.
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