Journey to Singapore – a future-shaping tour into AI, values, and innovation

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Journey to Singapore – a future-shaping tour into AI, values, and innovation

For ten outstanding RMIT students, the 2025 International Industry Learning (IIL) Tour to Singapore was a transformational three-day immersion into the intersections of technology, purpose, and global ambition.

Held in May, the IIL Tour 2025 focused on the theme of AI and the Future of Work, bringing together students from business, communications, and engineering disciplines. The group visited five leading organisations: Google, KPMG Digital Village, LinkedIn, Louken Group, and Elev8.vc, and left with a deeper understanding not just of where industries are going, but of what kind of future they personally want to help shape.

AI as a tool for empowerment, not replacement

The group began their journey with visits to tech giants like Google, KPMG, and LinkedIn. For many, the eye-opener wasn’t just about AI’s sophistication but its human-centric purpose.

Hong Trang, the only first-year student on the tour, described her awe at Google’s VEO 3 model, which created visuals, videos, and audio content almost instantly. “It made me rethink how communicators like me must evolve,” she said. Similarly, Viet Hung, a marketing student, was struck by how tools like multimodal and agentic AI can become "creative companions," not threats. “Our role is to bring the human logic and storytelling behind the tech,” he noted.

At KPMG’s Digital Village, students learned that even the most advanced AI must solve real problems to be meaningful. Quoc Tri, an engineering student with deep AI involvement, praised KPMG’s Climate Risk Intelligence Hub, which reflects innovation rooted in empathy and purpose. “For me, innovation without purpose is essentially aimless activity that is unlikely to lead to meaningful progress or value. Their AI-powered Climate Risk and Resilience Intelligence Hub was a perfect example of innovation for solving problems,” said Quoc Tri.

Moving to LinkedIn, the team explored how AI can be structured to support real-world professional growth. Quoc Binh, who has worked on AI projects for people with disabilities, found LinkedIn’s application of AI in career development particularly inspiring. “Mr. Erran Berger's tech stack model made it all real,” he shared. For Nguyen Phan Duc Huy, LinkedIn’s focus on AI for professional belonging emphasised how tech, at its best, builds community and connection.

Beyond ROI: rethinking business with heart

If day one highlighted technological prowess, day two at Louken Group delivered a powerful lesson in values. The concept of Return on Value (ROV) over traditional ROI was a defining moment for the group.

student-working-on-a-model

“Mr. Haoming Lee’s talk left me speechless,” said Ngo Thi Mai Hoa. “It was the most inspiring professional moment I’ve ever had.” Louken’s regenerative “Venture Vessels”, startups rooted in purpose and sustainability, challenged students to rethink success in business.

For Binh Nguyen, a final-year finance student, Louken sparked reflection on the kind of founder he hopes to be. “This wasn’t just about starting a company. It was about building something that uplifts people and the planet.”

Marketing student Dang Nhat Ha echoed this, saying the session gave her a new lens on sustainable brand equity and impact. Meanwhile, Tri and Duc Huy appreciated Louken’s fusion of business strategy and societal good, seeing it as a model for a values-aligned future.

Personal breakthroughs

The learning didn’t stop at the company doors. For many participants, the most unexpected growth came from within. Beyond company visits, the students found meaning in their interactions with one another. “Our team was diverse, from engineers, marketers, to finance students, but we connected quickly,” recalled Viet Hung. “We learned from each other just as much as from the professionals.”

Hong Trang surprised even herself during the networking lunch. “As someone who used to feel hesitant in such settings, I stepped out of my comfort zone and actively engaged in conversations. That moment mattered.”

Tri saw the trip as a culmination of his AI and leadership efforts, while for Binh, it was a capstone experience before graduation. “It was my last big memory tour at RMIT,” he said. “And what a way to end.”

Huy shared a similar sentiment: “This wasn’t just about AI. It was about people, culture, and purpose.” For many, this exchange of perspectives deepened their learning and reshaped their futures.

A draft of the future

By the end of the tour, many students had gone from curiosity to clarity. “I now have a rough draft of my future,” said Hoa. “I want to explore venture capital with a values-based approach.”

From communication and consulting to engineering and entrepreneurship, the students returned with different ambitions but a shared mindset: one that balances innovation with integrity.

a-group-of-three-students-studying-together-in-the-learning-lab

As Trang beautifully summed it up, “Beyond chasing trends, the true challenge is staying grounded in purpose and values.”

As these students step into their next chapters, one thing is clear: the future isn’t just about AI or automation. It’s about who we choose to become and the values we carry as we build it.

Story: Nguyen Minh Chau, a Professional Communication student at RMIT Vietnam, with inputs from all students in the IIL Tour 2025. This article does not reflect the views of RMIT Vietnam.

21 July 2025

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