Welcome to join SwedCham APAC's online webinar on the topic of "Unpacking why 80+% of AI projects fail and what to do about it "on 22 May ,2026.



At times, the fields of artificial intelligence, business analytics, and data science are subject to extreme hype – including exaggerated promises of future technologies and extravagant claims of transforming the lives of consumers. These claims risk an erosion of trust in the data-driven approach to decision making and business transformation. This presentation offers a balanced perspective – acknowledging the future possibilities and tempering the hype that many data science projects fail to achieve their stated aims – perhaps as many as 80 percent – is the basic premise of the presentation. The presenter will share his learnings based on decades of real-world experience at leading organisations worldwide as well as years of thorough research on why data science projects fail and how to make them a success. There are lessons that all practitioners of business analytics and data science can learn from their experiences, and strategies that firms should adopt to maximise their return on their AI and analytics investments.

Join us for a virtual session exploring the realities behind AI and data-driven transformation. While the potential of AI is widely recognised, many initiatives fall short—often due to overhype, misalignment, or lack of practical implementation strategies.

In this session, Dr Evan Shellshear, Principal at Boston Consulting Group X (BCG's Data Science and AI division), will share insights from decades of global experience and research, unpacking why up to 80% of AI and data science projects fail—and what organisations can do differently to succeed.

What you will gain:

• A realistic perspective on AI beyond the hype
• Key reasons why AI and data science projects fail
• Practical strategies to improve success rates and ROI
• Lessons from real-world implementations across industries

About Speaker

Dr Evan Shellshear is currently a Principal at BCG X (BCG's Data Science and AI division). He has a BA and BSc from the University of Queensland, a Diploma and PhD from the Nobel Prize winning Institute of Mathematical Economics at the University of Bielefeld in Germany and over fifteen years of experience in building global AI and statistical algorithms for industries from manufacturing to retail, HR to supply chain, oil and gas to energy. He has published or co-published four books on topics ranging from the Amazon Best Seller Innovation Tools to AI in Medicine as well as the Wiley best seller Why Data Science Projects Fail: The Harsh Realities of Analytics and AI, without the Hype. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology, having taught topics from business analytics to AI strategy. Link to book https://www.amazon.com.au/Why-Data-Science-Projects-Fail/dp/1032660309​

This is a Swedcham APAC webinar which is mainly organized by Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce and co-hosted by SwedCham in APAC regions including the SwedCham China.

Event Information

Date

22 May , 2026 (Friday)

Time

10:00 am- 11:00 am (Beijing Time)

Language

In English

Speaker

Dr Evan Shellshear

Price

Complimentary for Members & YP/Individual Discount Pass Holders

100 RMB for Non-Members

Online Meeting Link

An online meeting link will be sent to your email inbox 1 day prior the event starts.

Cancellation Policy

If you cannot attend a seminar for which you have registered, please cancel your registration no later than three business days prior to the event. If you fail to notify us of your cancellation in a timely fashion, you will be charged for the ticket costs.

Fapiao (VAT Invoice)

Apply fapiao when purchasing a ticket, by inputting the Chinese entity name and tax ID (if the title is wrong, you will be unable to receive the Fapaio). E-Fapiao will be sent to your e-mail within 7 days after completed event (check spam folder). If the fapiao can not be received, please provide an alternative email.

For inquiries related to fapiao, please email finance@swedcham.cn

Photo by Igor Omilaev​ on Unsplash​