{"id":96,"date":"2025-08-27T05:20:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T05:20:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liahnson.com\/insights\/?p=96"},"modified":"2025-08-27T05:20:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T05:20:35","slug":"how-to-find-real-experts-in-asia-you-wont-get-from-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liahnson.com\/insights\/how-to-find-real-experts-in-asia-you-wont-get-from-ai\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Real Experts in Asia You Won\u2019t Get from AI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AI has made huge strides, but finding professionals with real, on-the-ground experience is still no easy task. Tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini can process and summarize information from what\u2019s already online, but they can\u2019t replicate the insights you get from experts who\u2019ve lived and worked in the field. Why? Because these people rarely post their hard-earned knowledge on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s where the core dilemma of doing business in the AI era comes in. We have access to more information than ever before, yet we often miss what\u2019s actually happening on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where AI Excels and Where It Struggles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When ChatGPT first launched, it felt revolutionary. What once took days of research and writing could suddenly be done in hours. Today\u2019s AI can scan hundreds of reports at once, process them without fatigue, and even break down language barriers by delivering results in the language you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, AI has its blind spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Missing the Local Context<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

AI might tell you that halal certification is critical in Indonesia. But it will not know how shoppers actually check for it in the market or how they can tell a real certificate from a fake. That kind of nuance only comes from being there on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Struggling With Human Dynamics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In Thailand, understanding the cultural value of kreng<\/em>, which is the hesitation to impose on others, is essential. A \u201cyes\u201d in a meeting may not be agreement at all. Subtle relationship dynamics like this are easy for people to sense but difficult for AI to capture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Cut Off From Informal Networks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In Singapore\u2019s fintech scene, the most valuable insights often surface in casual conversations at private meetups. Early whispers about regulatory changes or shifts in investor strategies rarely make it into public announcements, and these are still out of reach for AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why Asia Is Even More Complex<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Asia is one of the most diverse and challenging markets in the world. Entering it without thorough preparation is risky. The region spans massive contrasts, from China\u2019s 1.3 billion people to Singapore\u2019s 7 million, a population gap of nearly 200 times. In some parts of China, differences between regions can feel like differences between entire countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1) Extreme Diversity Between Countries<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Even neighboring nations can be worlds apart in business culture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n