Malaysian voices joined a powerful regional conversation at AIMCONNECT 2026, where more than 250 senior leaders from 11 countries gathered in Singapore to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way vehicles are discovered, bought, financed and experienced.
Held on 11 October 2026 at Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa under the theme “Where Mobility Meets the Future”, AIMCONNECT 2026 was organised by X Star Technology and Aimotion. It drew representatives from more than 100 automotive organisations, including OEMs and dealerships, over 60 financial institutions and around 20 technology companies.
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Why AIMCONNECT 2026 Matters for Car Buyers in the Region
Malaysia was well represented on the programme. Dato’ Tony Khor Chong Boon, President of the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Associations of Malaysia (FMCCAM), delivered a welcome address, while Akkbar Danial, Head of Automotive Distribution at DRB-HICOM and CEO of EON Berhad, joined a panel on the future of car ownership.
In his keynote, Shawn Yang, CEO of X Star Technology, highlighted the scale of the opportunity. In Southeast Asia, an estimated 60% to 80% of cars are bought through financing, yet only around 10% of consumer prospects complete the process and secure financing.
Speakers explored how AI agents, predictive intelligence and connected partner networks can reduce that friction, improve conversion and create a smoother journey from showroom to ownership.
Three Conversations Shaping the Next Era of Mobility
Three AIMCONNECT 2026 panels brought together leaders from Uber, DRB-HICOM, BYD Singapore, MK.X, Carro, Google Cloud, Deloitte and Deutsche Bank. They examined:
- How personal AI is shaping consumer decisions around vehicle access and ownership
- How data and intelligence could change decisions across the purchase journey
- How the industry can build a trusted, seamless financing journey linking consumers, dealers, lenders and technology providers
The future of auto finance depends on how effectively we connect the different players across the ecosystem. The goal is not simply to make financing faster, but to make the entire experience more connected and trusted.
Zhang Peng, CEO of MStar
As intelligent assistants become more capable of understanding individual needs and preferences, the decision may increasingly be less about owning a car and more about finding the right mobility solution for each journey.
Xiao Ting, CEO of MK.X
What the AIMCONNECT 2026 Live Polls Revealed
Live audience polling offered a snapshot of where delegates believe the industry is heading:
- The future of car ownership: 54% expect flexible mobility options to become the preferred choice within 10 years, while 46% believe car ownership will remain preferred.
- A better auto-financing journey: Better connectivity across institutions was the top priority at 38%, followed by better data infrastructure (28%), greater client centricity (18%) and stronger consumer protection without stifling innovation (16%).
The message was clear: collaboration across the ecosystem matters as much as the technology itself.
From Industry Dialogue to AI in Action
The AIMCONNECT 2026 exhibition floor buzzed with live demonstrations at every booth. X Star’s agentic AI platform, Xport, showed one-click lead-to-loan matching and real-time approvals, giving delegates a close look at technology moving from testing into commercial use.
Aimotion presented its end-to-end AI marketing ecosystem, featuring automated video workflows and AI agents that engage, qualify and nurture car buyers through to conversion.
Visitors also explored MStar’s AI-native auto fintech platform, ai WINGMAN’s conversational customer engagement software and MK.X’s AI-driven EV transportation network.
Customers are not lost in one stage; they are lost to the friction between them. For AI to operate across this customer journey with true autonomy, trust cannot be an afterthought – it must be engineered into the architecture from day one.
Shawn Yang, CEO of X Star Technology
Looking Ahead After AIMCONNECT 2026
As the industry moves towards a connected mobility ecosystem, AIMCONNECT aims to unite dealers, lenders and mobility platforms. The vision is to let AI handle high-speed tasks such as financing calculations, pricing and fraud detection, while keeping human expertise for high-impact decisions and personal customer connections.
For Malaysian car buyers, the outcomes of AIMCONNECT 2026 point to a faster, clearer and more trusted path to their next vehicle. Find out more on the AIMCONNECT official website.
Curious about AI in everyday finance? Read why Malaysians are showing growing trust in AI for loan comparison, or explore how agentic commerce is raising new questions of trust in payments.
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