On October 21, 2026, the event "The Digital Economy in the Age of Agents: Reimagining Identity, Payments, and Value Networks" will be held at the Shenzhen Campus of the School of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, co-hosted by the Executive Education of the School of Business and Economics, the Standard Chartered Bank Charity Fund Institute of FinTech at The University of Hong Kong, and ME Group.

Author and source: School of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong

AI agents are transitioning from answering questions to executing tasks.

As agents begin to invoke services, connect accounts, initiate payments, and even represent individuals and businesses in transactions, the transformative impact of AI is extending further from the technical realm into business and economic systems.

This means we need to begin considering a new set of questions: What identity and permissions should an Agent have? Are existing account and risk management systems still applicable when an Agent can make autonomous payments? And what kind of new value network will emerge when Agents begin to collaborate and transact directly with one another?

On October 21, 2026, the event "The Digital Economy in the Age of Agents: Reconstructing Identity, Payment, and Value Networks" will be held at the Shenzhen Campus of the HKU Business School, co-hosted by the Executive Education Division of the HKU Business School, the Standard Chartered Hong Kong University Fintech Institute, and ME Group. This time, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the profound changes AI agents will bring to the economic system from the perspectives of business, management, and financial technology.

From AI Tools to Economic Participants

In the past, discussions about AI focused more on model capabilities, efficiency improvements, and application innovations.

But as agents begin to perform tasks on behalf of people, they are increasingly touching the core aspects of the business world—identity, accounts, permissions, payments, and transactions.

For businesses, the question of the future may no longer be “how to use AI,” but rather how to manage an autonomous agent: what it can access, what decisions it can make, what payments it can execute, and who should bear ultimate responsibility.

This is also where the agent economy truly deserves attention.

Identity, Payment, and Value Networks: Three Key Issues to Watch

Identity is the first step for an agent to enter the economic system.

When an agent acts on behalf of an individual or organization, we first need to clearly identify who the agent is, whom they represent, and what permissions they have.

Payment enables the agent to move from being able to execute tasks to being able to participate in transactions. When AI can procure services, invoke resources, and even complete settlements, account authorization, risk control, and liability mechanisms must be redesigned.

As more agents gain identity and payment capabilities, the future business network may also transform. Different agents can automatically seek services, exchange information, negotiate terms, and complete transactions—a new value network involving both humans and agents is gradually becoming a tangible reality.

Why is this discussion worth paying attention to?

For business schools, what truly matters has never been the technology itself, but how it transforms enterprises, organizations, and markets once it enters the business world.

The AI agent is at a critical juncture.

It is both a technological innovation and has the potential to further transform the way enterprises, financial services, and the digital economy operate.

Therefore, this event is not just about discussing "What else can AI do?" but aims to delve further into:

When agents truly enter the business world, how should we understand the next stage of enterprises, finance, and the digital economy?

Whether you're a business executive, entrepreneur, fintech professional, or someone interested in how AI is truly transforming business models and organizational structures, this discussion is worth attending in person.

October 21, meet at the HKU Business School Shenzhen Campus

Event Name

The Digital Economy in the Age of Agents: Reconstructing Identity, Payment, and Value Networks

Time

October 21, 2026, 14:00–17:30

Location

HKU School of Business and Economics Shenzhen Campus | 3rd Floor, LTC Classroom, East Annex Building, Fuzhong Financial Center, Futian District

Host:

HKU Business School Executive Education, HKU Standard Chartered Fintech Institute, ME Group

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As AI agents begin to shift from assisting humans to acting on behalf of individuals and enterprises, what truly needs to be reimagined is not only artificial intelligence itself, but also the way the future business world operates.

October 21, meet in Shenzhen. Together, explore the emerging new business landscape of the agent era—from identity and payments to value networks.