Knowledge Hub

Explore our latest articles:

Australia’s Teen Social Media Ban - Could Singapore be next?

Australia recently drew a bold line in the digital sand, becoming the first country to enforce a ban on social media for children under 16. The move has ignited a global conversation, forcing societies to confront the complex relationship between youth wellbeing, online safety, and the powerful role technology plays in shaping modern childhood. As the world watches, this policy serves as a critical case study for other nations, including Singapore, as they navigate their own digital safety landscapes. In a recent interview, NCMT’s Deputy Director, Professor Gemma Calvert, joined Money FM 89.3’s Breakfast Show to unpack the implications of Australia’s approach. 

Listen to the podcast on Awedio here.

This podcast was originally published by SPH Media Limited. Shared here for visibility.  

 

CNA Commentary: To stop ‘dark patterns’, consumers need more than just warnings

NCMT Director Sharon Ng writes a commentary for Channel News Asia on Jan 14, 2026. In this commentary, she shares her view on the rise of misleading online selling practices and the need for stronger consumer protection.

Read the commentary here.

This commentary was originally published by Channel News Asia. Shared here for visibility. 


AI Won’t Replace Marketers—But It Will Replace Marketing-as-Usual

If you work in marketing, the ground under your feet is moving—fast. In a live panel at NTU, three industry leaders cut through the hype: Krishnan Menon (Managing Director, R/GA), James Breeze (CEO, Research Network), and Melvyn Tan (Entrepreneur & Co-founder, Befinity AI). Their verdict? Generative AI is rewriting the playbook—from research and production to capability building and legal risk. The marketers who thrive will be those who go upstream: inventing the brief, shaping the strategy, and designing the future—while machines accelerate the rest.

Read the article here.


Holding AI to its promise – Outcomes that balance Efficiency and Effectiveness

The last 5-10 years have seen significant change, with the evolution of Artificial Intelligence and its increasing applications in every field. While there is optimism for an overall net positive business impact and betterment of society, it is counter-balanced by pessimism linked to the impact on the role of Humans and the depreciating value being placed on Human effort. This has been the narrative for a while – at least the last 5+ years, when Machine Learning, Neural networks, and other advancements were gaining ground. With the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022, the reality is even more accelerated. In this short period of time, the world does seem a very different place – it is as if we could demarcate a BC (Before ChatGPT) and AC (After ChatGPT) eras. While GPTs were not necessarily new and have been around since June 2018, the democratization of access truly happened with the chat interface. Now anyone can enter a few lines of conversational text, to generate outcomes. This chat functionality has then transcended mere text outputs, and we have text-to-image and text-to-video generating tools – whose quality of outputs is improving by leaps and bounds. They might not be there yet, but they are fast getting there. 

Read the article here.

This article was originally published by ESOMAR. Shared here for visibility.  

 

Beyond social media – How to win in the age of interest media

NCMT Associate Professor Ramanathan Vythilingam writes an article for WARC. In this article, he shares his view on the shift from social media to “interest media” and what this change means for brands’ advertising and content strategies.

Read the article here.

This article was originally published by WARC. Shared here for visibility.  

 

The Perils of Influence

NCMT Associate Professor Ramanathan Vythilingam writes an article for WARC. In this article, he shares his view on the rapid evolution of the influencer landscape and the challenges brands face in a space lacking a clear playbook. He explores the history of “influence”—from 20th-century celebrity endorsements to the digital age—and discusses how brands can navigate vested interests to align their strategies with tangible business goals.

Read the full article here.

This article was originally published by WARC. Shared here for visibility.  

 

Scroll. Like. Repeat.
The Hidden Cost of Social Media on Young Minds

As policymakers worldwide debate the future of platforms like TikTok, this study delivers urgent, first-person insight into how social media is shaping the brains, behaviours and emotional lives of the next generation. In a joint project by Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore), Research Network, and ListenLabs.ai, 583 young people aged 13–25 and their parents from Singapore and Australia were interviewed using an innovative AI-based interviewing platform. Instead of surveys or Likert scales, participants spoke freely and candidly in voice-recorded interviews, revealing how social media affects their attention, emotions, mental health, relationships and sense of self.

Read the full article here.

 

Physiological Self-Tracking Makes People More Likely to Donate Organs

The American Transplant Foundation reports that an average of 20 people die daily due to the scarcity of organs available for transplantation. Furthermore, over 112,000 individuals are awaiting organ transplants in the United States alone. Yet there is a notable gap between levels of support for organ donation and actual donor numbers.
Previous studies have shown that factors such as social marketing as well as people’s place of residence, religious beliefs and body integrity concerns influence their willingness to donate organs. Yet many questions remain. Our recently published research into body perception and self-identity indicates that self-tracking of the body’s physical status (e.g. through wearable monitoring devices) can help individuals dissociate their identity from their body and by so doing, increases their willingness to donate their organs in the event of death.

Read the full article here.

 

Redefining Insights: How AI is Shaping the Future of Social and Consumer Research

The ability to uncover authentic, unfiltered insights has long been a challenge in social and consumer research. Traditional methods often fall short due to biases and constraints inherent in human interactions. However, a groundbreaking study which we conducted in collaboration with Research Network and powered by Listen Labs’ AI platform offers a glimpse into a transformative future.

This AI-driven platform not only accelerates data collection but also unlocks perspectives that are rarely voiced in conventional research, making it a pivotal tool for fields as diverse as healthcare, public policy and consumer behaviour.

Read the full article here.

 

Leading the Charge: How to Implement Generative AI in SMEs in Singapore

In our first article of this series, "Unlocking the Power of Generative AI: Transforming Marketing for SMEs in Singapore," we explored the immense potential of Generative AI (GenAI) to transform marketing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). But knowing the benefits is just the beginning. Incorporating GenAI into your business is not a strategy in itself-it is simply a tool to achieve your broader business goals. The true value of GenAI lies in how effectively you use it to drive meaningful outcomes, whether that’s improving customer engagement, streamlining your operations, or boosting efficiency. One of the key challenges lies in effectively implementing these GenAI tools within your business. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to successfully lead your GenAI transformation. From setting clear goals to overcoming common challenges, you’ll learn how to implement GenAI to drive growth and efficiency of your processes.

Read the full article here.

 

Unlocking the Power of Generative AI: Transforming Marketing for SMEs in Singapore

Are you running a small-medium enterprise (SME) in Singapore and feeling the pressure from competitors using advanced technologies to personalize marketing and engage customers? You have probably heard the buzz around Generative AI (GenAI) and its potential to transform marketing. This article will guide you through how GenAI can boost your marketing efforts and keep you competitive. First, let’s break down what GenAI really means.

Read the full article here.

 

Digital Humans

The live e-commerce market is booming, set to reach USD 3.9 trillion by 2031. Traditional human hosts are facing competition from virtual digital humans, powered by AI. While digital hosts offer cost efficiency, challenges like the "uncanny valley" effect and legal complexities remain. Collaboration aims to optimize their integration into live commerce, reshaping broadcasting and content production.

Read the full article here.

 

Farmers as YouTubers

In rural India, unnoticed influencers like Yash Jatt and Pramod Prajapati, Indian farmers doubling as YouTubers with millions of followers, are reshaping agricultural knowledge-sharing. Coupled with tech startups like Carnot and Niqo, leveraging IoT and AI, rural India's transformation into a hub of innovation presents significant economic opportunities, demanding attention from global managers and businesses.

Read the full article here.

You might be interested in