According to Adobe’s Digital Trends 2024 Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) report, almost two in three (65%) APJ brands have implemented full or initial AI solutions and pilots. This puts them further along than their 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%).
According to Adobe, 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.
Duncan Egan, Vice President, Digital Experience Marketing Asia Pacific and Japan, 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,” said Egan.
“However, we expect this disconnect to narrow in 2024, with brands poised to strengthen organizational readiness for generative AI deployment.”
The report adde 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,” said Egan.
“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.”
Brands to adapt organisation structures, skills and data capabilities for AI er
Brands anticipate significant changes to operating models and organizational structures to support generative AI adoption, said Adobe, adding that 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%).
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.”
