Tencent Cloud Redefines Innovation: AI Coding Boot Camp Concluded Successfully in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 17, Tencent Cloud successfully concluded its CodeBuddy AI Coding Boot Camp at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU), demonstrating how AI is enabling students from different backgrounds and disciplines to turn inspirations into impact. During the event, emerging technologies and trends like AI Agents and "Vibe Coding" are empowering non-technical students and professionals to transform creative sparks into functional applications, even if they have zero-to-low coding experience.

Defining the Future: From "Coders" to "Problem Solvers"

The Hong Kong finale, part of the "Tencent WeTech Academy x Tencent AI Campus Tour", featured insights from academic and industry leaders on the shifting talent landscape.

"The top talent of the future will be 'problem definers' rather than just 'code porters'", said Wang Shiqi, Associate Dean for College of Computing at CityU. "We are moving toward a world where individuals act as AI collaborators rather than mere tool users."

Yang Hui, Vice President of Tencent Cloud and Head of Tencent Education Solutions, revealed the internal impact of these tools: "Within Tencent's own software engineering teams using CodeBuddy, nearly 100% of code can now be AI-generated. Proficiency with AI tools will directly determine a professional's competitiveness in the future job market."

Real-World Impact: Tech for Social Good

The boot camp challenged 30 students from CityU's College of Computing and Department of Electrical Engineering to develop solutions for "Chronic Disease Management for the Elderly."

• Elderly-Care App: Sophomores Ni Fanxuan and She Zhiding developed a dual-perspective app for seniors and their children. By using CodeBuddy, they completed the core coding in just half a day, using natural language to call UI libraries for complex interactions.

• Community Fitness: A student named Calvin developed a sports community platform featuring "check-in" points and partner-matching. "Before this, I had zero knowledge of front-end pages, back-end logic, or database integration," Calvin noted. "CodeBuddy bridged those gaps, allowing me to build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that actually works, rather than just a hollow interface."

The Rise of the AI Agent: Introducing "WorkBuddy"

At the event, Tencent Cloud also spotlighted WorkBuddy, its self-developed desktop AI Agent. Unlike traditional chatbots, WorkBuddy is designed as a "digital colleague" capable of local execution and remote control across all platforms without complex deployment.

"WorkBuddy represents a leap from 'answering questions' to 'completing tasks'," said Wang Shengjie, Head of AI Products for Tencent Cloud Developers. "The core revolution of the Agent Era is shifting the user relationship from Q&A to Delegate and Execute. We are bringing AI directly into the daily professional workflow." Currently available to users in Mainland China, Tencent Cloud plans to introduce WorkBuddy to a broader international audience in the near future.

Building on the success in Hong Kong, the second phase of the AI Coding Boot Camp will launch in Singapore this month, covering high-growth sectors including EdTech, Smart Office, and Gaming.

About Tencent Cloud:

Tencent Cloud, one of the world's leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT, and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel, and transportation. 

** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

Tencent Cloud Redefines Innovation: AI Coding Boot Camp Concluded Successfully in Hong Kong

Tencent Cloud Redefines Innovation: AI Coding Boot Camp Concluded Successfully in Hong Kong

Tencent Cloud Redefines Innovation: AI Coding Boot Camp Concluded Successfully in Hong Kong

Tencent Cloud Redefines Innovation: AI Coding Boot Camp Concluded Successfully in Hong Kong

Local cuisine emerges as the region's strongest dining force, as traditional restaurant settings give way to fluid, social spaces

SINGAPORE, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott International has unveiled Future of Food 2027, its latest report exploring food and beverage trends across Asia Pacific excluding China. Drawing on conversations with leading chefs, hospitality experts and regional influencers, alongside insights from Marriott International properties across the region, the report reveals a pivotal transformation: the rise of place. As dining breaks free from traditional restaurant boundaries into fluid, social formats, diners increasingly seek experiences that are hyper-local, authentic and deeply connected to their destination.

Across Asia Pacific excluding China, diners are increasingly seeking authenticity and connection. Demand for authentic local signature dishes is surging, with 95% of surveyed properties identifying this as the biggest trend in their market. At the same time, dining is no longer confined to the traditional restaurant setting. Guests are gathering across bars, lounges, counters and flexible spaces, turning hotels into social and cultural hubs where guests move fluidly throughout the day. The result is a new era of dining where the story behind what people eat and where they eat matters more than ever.

"Across Asia Pacific, we're witnessing a shift toward intimate, locally-rooted experiences, where smaller, intentional spaces replace traditional formal dining models," said Petr Raba, Vice President of Food & Beverage, Marriott International, Asia Pacific excluding China. "Hotels are becoming cultural storytellers, embedding regional talent, locally sourced ingredients and authentic connection into every aspect of the dining experience to create spaces that feel distinctly of their place."

Key Trends Shaping the Future of Food

1. The Spatial Shift
   Dining is moving beyond the traditional restaurant model as guests increasingly lean toward more flexible, social and experience-led spaces. Across Asia Pacific excluding China, nearly half of the surveyed properties report a growing demand for casual venues such as lounges, bars and outdoor settings, while emerging concepts are embracing intimate 40 to 60-seat footprints with distinct identities. In Vietnam, 71% of surveyed properties report growth in bar and lounge dining, reflecting the growing appeal of more fluid dining experiences. An invisible layer of technology is supporting this shift, with AI enhancing everything from menu development and marketing to staffing and guest insights, allowing teams to focus on delivering more personalized hospitality. 100% of restaurants and bars surveyed in Thailand are already using AI in their operations.
2. The Local Advantage
   Local cuisine has become the defining force shaping dining decisions across the region. Demand for authentic local signature dishes is now the strongest trend identified by 95% of the surveyed properties and outweighing value for money when guests choose where to dine. Hotels are responding by building menus around ingredients and stories rooted in their destinations. At Hearth at The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, for example, a signature dish featuring local Wagin duck showcases Western Australia's produce while reflecting the restaurant's seasonal, locally driven philosophy. Over the past year, four in five properties have introduced new local ingredients from Kyoto vegetables in Japan to Kampot sea salt in Cambodia-inspired menus and indigenous spices across Southeast Asia, while nearly three-quarters report local ingredients appearing more frequently in beverage menus. This trend is particularly pronounced in India and Indonesia, where demand for local signature cuisine reaches 71% and 67% respectively, highlighting a growing desire for dining experiences that tell the story of a destination.
3. 99-Minute Fine Dining
   Fine dining is undergoing a temporal revolution with up to five memorable courses delivered in under two hours, replacing four-hour tasting menus with ten-plus courses. Across the region, 58% of properties report that the average fine dining experiences last between 1.5 and 2 hours. Singapore has emerged as one of the region's fastest-paced fine dining markets with 85% of restaurants reporting an average time of 1.5 hours. Restaurants are adapting by simplifying menus, introducing more a la carte options and focusing on standout moments over the number of courses. In South Korea, one in five establishments have already reduced the number of courses served, while 30% of fine-dining restaurants in the Philippines have introduced a la carte menus. Australia sees both fewer courses and shorter service times, with the conversation shifting toward "wow moments" rather than course quantity.

Additional Report Highlights:

• Eat Well, Eating Your Age: Wellness has become a core dining consideration, with ingredients rooted in Asia Pacific's rich food traditions finding renewed relevance among modern travelers. Today, 97% of surveyed Marriott International properties in Asia Pacific excluding China serve dishes associated with health and longevity, while wellness increasingly extends beyond the plate to healthier mini-bars and wellness-focused turndown experiences.
• The Modern Menu: Across Asia Pacific, menus are becoming more expressive and multi-sensory, with texture rising alongside flavor as a defining element of the dining experience. At the same time, plant-forward dining is accelerating, prompting Marriott International to introduce its APEC Plant-Forward Program across the region in 2027, making it one of the first major global hotel groups to integrate plant-forward dining into its operational foundation permanently.
• Alcohol Alternatives: The low- and no-alcohol movement has evolved from niche trend to hospitality mainstay, with 42% of Marriott International restaurants and bars surveyed in Asia Pacific excluding China reporting increased sales of non-alcoholic beverages. From premium spirits to alcohol-free pairings, guests are increasingly seeking sophisticated alternatives without compromise.

Looking Ahead

Asia Pacific's F&B landscape is fundamentally shifting toward authenticity and intentionality. Hotels and restaurants thriving in 2027 are those that understand their place deeply - its ingredients, culture, people and design experiences around that foundation. They are creating smaller, more distinctive spaces where technology elevates genuine hospitality, while telling stories that connect guests emotionally to destination and cuisine. The result is a regional dining scene that feels less like a global template adaptation and more like a collection of distinctive, culturally rooted experiences.

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of compelling brands across luxury, premium, select, midscale, extended stay, and all-inclusive, with over 10,000 properties in 148 countries and territories, as of June 30, 2026. Marriott franchises, operates, and licenses hotel, residential, timeshare, yacht, outdoor, and other lodging products all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its highly awarded travel platform. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on X and Instagram.

Download the full Future of Food 2027 reporthere to explore the complete trends shaping Asia Pacific's culinary future.

Access high-resolution images and media assets here.

** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **

THE RISE OF PLACE: MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL REVEALS ASIA PACIFIC'S FUTURE OF FOOD