SINGAPORE — Adobe released its “Digital Trends 2024 Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ)” report, showing brands across the region lead other geographies in generative AI deployment and are set to make major near-term organizational changes to scale up adoption.
According to executives among APJ brands, almost two in three (65%) 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%).
Stage of generative AI adoption within the organization according to senior executives (evaluation vs implementation of full or initial solutions/pilots)
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 organization 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.
Agree that no formal generative AI adoption strategy exists (senior executives vs practitioners)
Duncan Egan, Vice President for Digital Experience Marketing 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 organizational readiness for generative AI deployment,” Duncan explained.
As a leader in AI and a trusted partner, Adobe is working closely with brands across the Asia Pacific as they transition generative AI initiatives from experimentation into enterprise-level deployment. By integrating generative AI into the Adobe apps that marketers already use including Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Photoshop, and apps within Adobe Experience Platform, it can more easily be adopted into existing workflows, all in a commercially safe way, backed by enterprise-grade security, privacy and compliance.
The report confirms that among 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%).
“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,” Duncan said.
Brands to adapt organization structures, skills, and data capabilities for the AI era
Brands anticipate significant changes to operating models and organizational structures to support generative AI adoption. Across APJ, the majority intend to reorganize 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%).
Changes to organizational structures expected by mid-to-end of 2024 to support generative AI adoption
Executives are also prioritizing 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%).
Over two-thirds of APJ brands also believe that generative AI will transform data analytics and management more than any other part of the organization. They also recognize 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%).
“Asia Pacific and Japan are at the forefront of generative AI adoption, with brands recognizing its transformative potential across their organizations. We’re seeing a strong commitment to restructuring functions and teams, introducing AI leadership roles, and prioritizing employee upskilling to fully harness the power of this technology,” said Simon Dale, Vice President of Asia at Adobe. “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.”
Sub-regional highlights and comparisons
About the research
The Digital Trends 2024 Asia Pacific and Japan research is derived from a global survey of 8,600 executives and practitioners and 6,800 consumers conducted last January and February. The Asia Pacific and Japan analysis includes responses from 1,426 executives and practitioners and 998 consumers, from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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