SHANGHAI and LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The APEC Group on Services (GOS) Plenary Meeting in Guangzhou has formally endorsed a new study examining how high-skill digital services are reshaping global market access. The report, published by APEC Australia, features Shanghai-based technology firm QLdigits as a central global case study on the use of artificial intelligence to reduce traditional barriers in cross-border digital trade.
Titled "Enhancing Women's Economic Empowerment in APEC through Greater Participation in High-Skill Digitally Delivered Services," the research analyzes a fundamental shift in international trade dynamics. Aligned with the APEC La Serena Roadmap for Women and Inclusive Growth, the study addresses a long-standing macroeconomic challenge: expanding operations overseas has historically required localized social capital, opaque intermediaries, and extensive offline networks. These factors have consistently created structural disadvantages for emerging micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and female entrepreneurs.
The APEC study identifies how AI-native business models are systematically neutralizing these historical frictions by shifting the competitive baseline of cross-border digital trade from traditional relationship-building to algorithmic efficiency and data processing capabilities.
Founder's Insight: The Democratization of Global Commerce
Arylin Wu, Founder and CEO of QLdigits, provided operational data and strategic insights that directly informed the policy recommendations presented to APEC officials. Her contributions emphasized how technological infrastructure can serve as a great equalizer in global markets.
"The modernization of cross-border digital trade infrastructure is transitioning the market from a relationship-based model to a purely data-driven model," Wu noted. "When market discovery, multilingual localization, and operational scale are automated through advanced algorithms, the traditional prerequisites of social capital become significantly less relevant. The international market evaluates processing efficiency and cognitive agility, rendering historical biases or background-related barriers increasingly obsolete."
Wu further added, "By making high-skill digital tools more accessible, our goal is not just to streamline market entry, but to empower entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to participate equitably in the Asia-Pacific digital economy and share in its growth."
Verifiable Industry Evidence and Scale
The APEC committee selected QLdigits based on the quantifiable scale of its technology deployment and its integration within global digital ecosystems. Operating as a certified Google Premier Partner, the firm integrates advanced large language models—including the Gemini API—into its proprietary Cross-border Digital Intelligence SaaS Platform.
This AI-driven infrastructure bridges the "intelligence gap" by providing automated decision-making, global compliance analysis, and precision marketing tools to over 1,000 enterprises, facilitating their seamless expansion into international markets. This verifiable operational scale, which allowed the firm to achieve profitability within its first year of operation, serves as empirical evidence for the APEC study's thesis on tech-enabled inclusive growth. It proves that cognitive capability has superseded social identity as the primary currency of global commerce.
The finalized study is currently accessible on the APEC Australia Women and Trade in Services portal. It provides member economies with evidence-based policy frameworks derived from the operational realities of firms like QLdigits, aiming to foster a more inclusive, resilient, and standardized cross-border digital trade environment across the Asia-Pacific region.
The full report can be accessed here:
https://www.apec.org.au/_files/ugd/ab46bb_eda8b0b95db24690a2602eff4e52d8bf.pdf
About Qiliang Digital (QLdigits)
Headquartered in Shanghai, Qiliang Digital (QLdigits) is a leading cross-border digital trade technology firm and a certified Google Premier Partner. The company develops high-skill digital services and intelligent SaaS solutions powered by advanced AI frameworks, dedicated to providing data-driven trade infrastructure that empowers enterprises to scale seamlessly across global markets.
Website: https://qldigits.com/
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
From "Relationship-Driven" to "Algorithmic Parity": APEC Study Highlights How QLdigits Uses AI to Reshape Global Market Access
|
Technology leaders throughout Australia and the Asia-Pacific region are under increasing pressure to demonstrate measurable returns on AI and digital investments as economic conditions tighten and regulatory scrutiny heightens. Info-Tech Research Group's CIO Priorities 2026 report draws on global survey data, diagnostics, and executive interviews to identify five priorities shaping IT leadership agendas in the year ahead.
SYDNEY, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- APAC IT leaders are confronting a year defined by AI acceleration, cost sensitivity, and rising accountability from executive leadership teams. According to Info-Tech Research Group's CIO Priorities 2026, demonstrating tangible business value from IT investment is becoming the standard for leadership credibility, with technology adoption alone failing to meet executive expectations.
Regional organisations face a complex environment shaped by evolving data governance expectations, sector-specific compliance requirements, and heightened cybersecurity exposure. The report draws on Info-Tech's Future of IT 2026 Survey, diagnostic benchmarks, and interviews with senior IT executives to examine how CIOs are adapting capabilities to deliver measurable outcomes while maintaining operational resilience.
The findings indicate that although AI remains central to strategic planning, many organisations continue to encounter barriers to scaling initiatives effectively. Risk governance fragmentation, data ownership ambiguity, and financial opacity frequently limit the return on innovation efforts.
"The expectation across APAC has shifted. CIOs are no longer being asked whether they are investing in AI, but whether that investment is delivering measurable value for the business," says George Khreish, Managing Partner at Info-Tech Research Group, APAC. "Financial discipline and risk governance cannot be treated as separate conversations from AI strategy. Leaders who can bring all three into alignment will be the ones who earn sustained executive confidence."
Five Key Priorities for CIOs in 2026
Based on Info-Tech's research findings, the CIO Priorities 2026 report identifies five priorities that will define IT leadership in the coming year:
- Maximise AI Investments With a Focus on Value Streams
More than three-quarters of CIOs surveyed expect their organisations to have invested in agentic AI by the end of 2026. However, enterprise architecture continues to show one of the widest gaps between importance and effectiveness. IT leaders rate its importance at 8.7 out of 10, while effectiveness lags at 6.3 out of 10. The report emphasises that AI value realisation depends on operating model redesign, strengthened enterprise architecture, and tighter alignment across people, processes, and governance. - Prepare for the Unknown With a Proactive Risk Practice
CIOs rank AI and emerging technologies as the top disruptor to their organisations over the next 12 months, followed by cybersecurity incidents and regulatory change. Despite this, only 6% of CIOs report that accountability for enterprise governance, risk, and compliance is shared across multiple executives. Nearly three-quarters of higher-maturity organisations have fully integrated enterprise risk management practices, compared to just one-quarter of lower-maturity peers. The report notes that many organisations will need to shift from reactive, siloed processes toward cross-functional, foresight-driven risk management models. - Empower Domain Experts With Data Accountability
Data governance represents the single largest capability gap identified across Info-Tech's IT Management and Governance Diagnostic, with a 2.8-point gap between importance and effectiveness. While 72.5% of IT leaders report current investment in data management solutions, governance maturity continues to lag. The report points to federated data operating models that assign accountability to domain experts while maintaining centralised standards, enabling AI readiness and unlocking cross-domain insight without sacrificing compliance or control. - Don't Lose the Cyber Arms Race
AI-driven threats are increasing in speed and sophistication. Info-Tech's survey data shows that IT security is the most common area where organisations are acquiring or considering AI solutions. CIOs who prioritise AI in cybersecurity report significantly higher confidence in their ability to detect and respond to AI-powered attacks. However, the report cautions that automation must be paired with observability, governance, and human oversight to prevent overreliance on AI systems. - Run IT by the Numbers
Info-Tech's CEO-CIO Alignment Diagnostic reveals an optimism gap between CIOs and their executive peers. While 34% of CIOs expect large IT budget increases, only 27% of executives share that expectation. This disconnect reinforces the need for stronger IT financial management practices, including cost attribution, transparency, and value-based funding models. Financial discipline is positioned as essential for funding high-impact digital and AI initiatives without relying on assumed growth.
The CIO Priorities 2026 report provides guidance for organisations looking to strengthen foundational capabilities while pursuing innovation-led transformation. The report includes case examples from CIOs, structured frameworks, and actionable research pathways.
The report also features perspectives on enterprise risk management from Amazon Web Services. Additional case examples examine the use of AI agents to automate security operations in a telecom-managed security environment, and the application of IT financial management to improve mission effectiveness at the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
For exclusive and timely commentary from Info-Tech's experts, and access to the complete CIO Priorities 2026 report, please contact pr@infotech.com.
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading and fastest-growing research and advisory firms, serving over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing professionals around the globe. As a trusted product and service leader, the company delivers unbiased, highly relevant research and industry-leading advisory support to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to expert guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organisations.
To learn more about Info-Tech's HR research and advisory services, visit McLean & Company, and for data-driven software buying insights and vendor evaluations, visit the firm's SoftwareReviews platform.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software, and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.
For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.
Photo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2936543/Info_Tech_Research_Group_CIO_Priorities_2026__AI_Value_and_Finan.jpg?p=medium600
Logo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2936542/Info_Tech_Research_Group_CIO_Priorities_2026__AI_Value_and_Finan.jpg?p=medium600
Technology leaders throughout Australia and the Asia-Pacific region are under increasing pressure to demonstrate measurable returns on AI and digital investments as economic conditions tighten and regulatory scrutiny heightens. Info-Tech Research Group's CIO Priorities 2026 report draws on global survey data, diagnostics, and executive interviews to identify five priorities shaping IT leadership agendas in the year ahead.
SYDNEY, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- APAC IT leaders are confronting a year defined by AI acceleration, cost sensitivity, and rising accountability from executive leadership teams. According to Info-Tech Research Group's CIO Priorities 2026, demonstrating tangible business value from IT investment is becoming the standard for leadership credibility, with technology adoption alone failing to meet executive expectations.
Regional organisations face a complex environment shaped by evolving data governance expectations, sector-specific compliance requirements, and heightened cybersecurity exposure. The report draws on Info-Tech's Future of IT 2026 Survey, diagnostic benchmarks, and interviews with senior IT executives to examine how CIOs are adapting capabilities to deliver measurable outcomes while maintaining operational resilience.
The findings indicate that although AI remains central to strategic planning, many organisations continue to encounter barriers to scaling initiatives effectively. Risk governance fragmentation, data ownership ambiguity, and financial opacity frequently limit the return on innovation efforts.
"The expectation across APAC has shifted. CIOs are no longer being asked whether they are investing in AI, but whether that investment is delivering measurable value for the business," says George Khreish, Managing Partner at Info-Tech Research Group, APAC. "Financial discipline and risk governance cannot be treated as separate conversations from AI strategy. Leaders who can bring all three into alignment will be the ones who earn sustained executive confidence."
Five Key Priorities for CIOs in 2026
Based on Info-Tech's research findings, the CIO Priorities 2026 report identifies five priorities that will define IT leadership in the coming year:
The CIO Priorities 2026 report provides guidance for organisations looking to strengthen foundational capabilities while pursuing innovation-led transformation. The report includes case examples from CIOs, structured frameworks, and actionable research pathways.
The report also features perspectives on enterprise risk management from Amazon Web Services. Additional case examples examine the use of AI agents to automate security operations in a telecom-managed security environment, and the application of IT financial management to improve mission effectiveness at the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
For exclusive and timely commentary from Info-Tech's experts, and access to the complete CIO Priorities 2026 report, please contact pr@infotech.com.
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading and fastest-growing research and advisory firms, serving over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing professionals around the globe. As a trusted product and service leader, the company delivers unbiased, highly relevant research and industry-leading advisory support to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to expert guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organisations.
To learn more about Info-Tech's HR research and advisory services, visit McLean & Company, and for data-driven software buying insights and vendor evaluations, visit the firm's SoftwareReviews platform.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software, and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.
For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.
Photo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2936543/Info_Tech_Research_Group_CIO_Priorities_2026__AI_Value_and_Finan.jpg?p=medium600
Logo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2936542/Info_Tech_Research_Group_CIO_Priorities_2026__AI_Value_and_Finan.jpg?p=medium600
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
CIO Priorities 2026: AI Value and Financial Discipline Define IT Leadership in APAC, Finds Info-Tech Research Group
