Chongqing - Without reliable data, AI cannot deliver the precise, market-ready decisions that businesses need. "If garbage in, garbage out," said Dr. Chang Peng Kee from the Centre for Advanced Strategic Research (CASR) in Malaysia, "we are afraid that it is being fed with all the wrong data." For Dr. Chang, that concern sits at the heart of his work.

CASR's research collaboration with the Western China International Communication Center, titled "Hard Connectivity Achieved, Soft Connectivity Left Behind," addresses a paradox: Chongqing's trade with ASEAN has never been stronger, with logistics now taking just 5–10 days, and 2025 exports to the bloc reached 132.65 billion RMB (about 19.7 billion U.S. dollars). Yet the city's image and brands have yet to travel with its goods.

Recognizing that AI is a significant variable in understanding soft connectivity, Dr. Chang's project explores whether Generative Engine Optimization, a new approach to making content AI-accessible, can help close that gap. As more ASEAN consumers and businesses turn to AI for answers about "Chongqing," data inclusion and visibility deserve more attention.

He does believe that once stronger databases are in place, China and ASEAN will be able to harness AI to formulate better and more precise decisions.

Dr. Chang sat down with Global Vision during the 2026 Land-Sea Economic Forum in Kuala Lumpur, where he also delivered a keynote on the subject. Malaysia's trilingual media landscape, diverse cultural mix, and commercial networks make it a natural hub for this research project.