Singapore – A new report by Adobe has revealed that brands across the region lead other geographies in generative AI deployment and are set to make major near-term organisational changes to scale up adoption.
According to the report, almost two in three (65%) executives in the region have implemented full or initial AI solutions and pilots, making them further along than peers in the US (61%) and Europe (55%). Within the APJ region, deployment is highest in Japan (82%), followed by India and Asia (both 72%).
While executives are confident their generative AI rollouts are advancing to plan, many day-to-day users hold a different view. Across APJ, just 4% of executives say their organisation doesn’t have a formal generative AI adoption strategy, which rises substantially among practitioners. The gap is widest in Japan, where 4% of executives concede there is no formal strategy compared to 37% of practitioners.
The report also confirms that amongst APJ brands, generative AI integration is the digital initiative most likely to support growth in 2024. As a result, most brands are developing guidelines for responsible use of AI (73%) and aligning a comprehensive AI roadmap with broader business goals (71%).
Brands also anticipate significant changes to operating models and organisational structures to support generative AI adoption. Across APJ, the majority intend to reorganise teams and functions to accommodate AI usage, which is highest in Asia (80%) and India (74%). Plans to introduce AI leadership roles are also highest in these regions (India at 78% and Asia at 73%).
Lastly, executives are also prioritising initiatives to help employees upskill and provide clear guardrails for using generative AI. The top-rated is advanced AI skills training for key staff (47%), followed by policies for ethical and secure generative AI usage (45%).
Moreover, over two-thirds of APJ brands also believe that generative AI will transform data analytics and management more than any other part of the organisation. They also recognise that data capabilities and governance are a cornerstone capability, with most planning to increase investment in customer data management in 2024. Within APJ, this is highest in India (75%).
Duncan Egan, vice president for digital experience marketing in Asia-Pacific and Japan at Adobe said the disconnect can stem from viewing generative AI through a different lens.
“For some senior executives, adoption can be as simple as signing a vendor contract, while practitioners are likely better acquainted with the realities of having the right data, tools and training. However, we expect this disconnect to narrow in 2024, with brands poised to strengthen organisational readiness for generative AI deployment,” he said.
Egan further added, “Generative AI offers a clearer path to unify data, predict customer needs, and deliver more relevant and time-critical content. However, the study shows that despite widespread adoption intentions, only some brands are recalibrating to seize these benefits, putting them ahead in the race for consumer loyalty, conversion, and trust.”
Meanwhile, Simon Dale, vice president of Asia at Adobe, commented, “Asia-Pacific and Japan are at the forefront of generative AI adoption, with brands recognising its transformative potential across their organisations. We’re seeing a strong commitment to restructuring functions and teams, introducing AI leadership roles, and prioritising employee upskilling to fully harness the power of this technology.”
He added, “There is also a clear understanding among businesses that generative AI adoption goes hand in hand with matching data capabilities and responsible governance. We anticipate an increase in investments in these areas that will drive innovation and transformation across the region.”
