Narrative Intelligence Takes Center Stage at Black Hat Asia

Last week marked a meaningful chapter in Blackbird.AI’s global journey. With our extended team in Singapore, we had the opportunity to participate in conversations with leaders across government, banking, technology, and national strategy, centered on the shared challenge of building resilience in today’s rapidly evolving information landscape and protection against the new threat vector of narrative attacks.

This wasn’t just another business trip. During a week of deep alignment, public and private stakeholders gathered in a Narrative Intelligence Executive Masterclass to exchange ideas and perspectives on protecting the future of trust, AI, and digital ecosystems. With the support of IMDA and our participation in the IMDA Spark Programme, combined with the Black Hat keynote presentation by Frank Saegerman, formerly of NATO, called ‘Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (Disinformation 2.0) – How Patterns of Behavior in the Information Domain Threaten or Attack Organizations’ Values, Procedures and Political Processes,’ we were able to make the most of this visit, opening doors, forming connections, and laying the groundwork for meaningful collaboration in the region.

LEARN: What Is Narrative Intelligence?

We were proud to attend Black Hat Asia 2025, where it was encouraging to see increased attention around adversarial AI, narrative attack threat detection, and the broader challenge of maintaining trust in complex digital environments. The experience reaffirmed that the need for proactive, context-aware insight is growing and that narrative intelligence is becoming increasingly relevant across sectors. Franky Saegerman’s talk gave insight into how narrative attacks and information warfare are impacting governments and corporations around the globe, including several case studies of the impact in the Asia Pacific region.

As part of the week, Blackbird.AI hosted our Executive Masterclass: The Future of Narrative Intelligence, Influence, and Information Warfare, where we welcomed a packed house of select group of leaders and professionals to explore how emerging AI-based technologies are reshaping the way we understand influence, context, and strategic decision-making. During the session, we shared how narrative intelligence can protect against narrative attacks by sharing what can be done today and by previewing our upcoming 2025 technology capabilities, designed to stay ahead of the critical visibility gaps between traditional threat intelligence and surface-level media monitoring.

The dialogue was thoughtful, forward-thinking, and energizing. Participants engaged deeply with the concepts, asked sharp questions, and brought a clear sense of urgency to the discussion. Their response showed a growing interest in context-rich, real-time insight and how narrative intelligence can enable a more informed, resilient approach to navigating today’s information environments. We were pleased to see how many stakeholders expressed enthusiasm about what’s ahead, and we’re excited to continue those conversations in the coming months.

A Region Ready for Strategic Insight Through Narrative Intelligence

Singapore continues to rise as a global center for trusted digital innovation. Its clear commitment to integrity, foresight, and responsible technology development makes its approach to AI thoughtful, pragmatic, and globally relevant, making it an ideal environment for exploring the next generation of capabilities.

Across our engagements, there was strong interest in the broader category of narrative intelligence, not as a surveillance tool but as a framework for understanding complex information environments. The focus was helping organizations understand shifting discourse and emerging signals influencing perception and decisions over time.

The Spark to Go Further

Blackbird.AI’s inclusion in the IMDA Spark Programme has proven to be a valuable catalyst for dialogue and regional engagement. Spark offers the infrastructure to learn, localize, and connect with forward-thinking partners in a way that supports mutual growth and understanding.

We’re excited to continue building on this foundation as we expand our presence and partnerships across Asia.

The Way Forward: Forecasting 2025

2025 will be a pivotal year for developing and adopting narrative intelligence in Singapore and throughout the Asia Pacific region. The challenges organizations face today are evolving rapidly, and the demand for narrative intelligence tools that bring clarity and context to fast-moving information environments is only increasing.

We’re grateful for the openness and energy we encountered in Singapore. The connections made and insights shared during this trip will serve as a strong foundation for what comes next.

• To receive a complimentary copy of The Forrester External Threat Intelligence Landscape 2025 Report, visit here.
• To learn more about how Blackbird.AI can help you in these situations, book a demo.