Why Southeast Asia has a distinctive AI advantage

 Why Southeast Asia has a distinctive AI advantage



southeast Asia’s digital economy is a story of remarkable resilience and dynamism. Millions in the region join the digital landscape every year as consumers, entrepreneurs, developers and creators, driving both economic growth and societal transformation.This underscores the region’s capacity to not only embrace innovation but to translate it into tangible economic gains, delivering a 10x increase in revenue since 2016.

Combined with strategic investments and forward-thinking policies, the region’s inherent strengths in artificial intelligence (AI) are set to propel Southeast Asia to the forefront of the global AI revolution.

Southeast Asia’s distinctive AI advantage

The region already boasts a unique combination of advantages that create a fertile ground for AI to flourish.

First, it’s home to a young and digitally native population that readily embraces AI-powered solutions. This enthusiasm is evident in the significant volume of AI-related online searches, with countries like Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia ranking among the top globally.Interestingly, the region displays a greater interest in AI’s potential benefits than apprehension about its risks, reflecting a culture of acceptance and exploration.

Southeast Asian consumers are curious about AI | Temasek and Bain, e-Conomy SEA 2024 | Google
Southeast Asian consumers are curious about AI | Temasek and Bain, e-Conomy SEA 2024 | Google

Southeast Asian consumers are curious about AI. Image: Google, Temasek and Bain, e-Conomy SEA 2024

Secondly, strong government support and investment are fostering AI adoption and development. Several countries are making strides in developing their own national AI frameworks. Funding for research and development is ramping up, and regulatory sandboxes allow for experimentation.

This proactive approach is cultivating a favourable environment for AI innovation and attracting investment from both local and international players. In the first half of 2024 alone, more than US$30 billion has been committed to building AI-ready data centres across Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. This influx of capital is laying the foundation for accelerated computing, AI services and data growth, positioning the region for long-term success.

Finally, it’s impossible to discuss Southeast Asia’s AI landscape without acknowledging the vibrant ecosystem of innovators driving its growth. Entrepreneurs across the region are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to address critical challenges and unlock new possibilities.Startups like Lytehouse AIDiMuto and CarbonSync are developing cutting-edge solutions across diverse sectors, from security infrastructure and agricultural trade to sustainability.

This spirit of innovation extends far beyond the startup space. The region’s game developers are capturing the imagination of players worldwide, driving a significant surge in mobile game downloads. Our report reveals that an outsized share of 12% of all mobile game downloads now originate from Southeast Asia – a testament to the exceptional technical prowess and creative energy that defines this dynamic region.

Generative AI: Reshaping industries and delivering value

Generative AI (GenAI), with its ability to create new content and automate complex tasks, is already demonstrating its potential to revolutionize industries and generate tangible value in this region.

In e-commerce, GenAI powers personalized product recommendations, driving increased customer engagement, higher gross merchandise value (GMV) and larger basket sizes. The travel sector is also benefiting from AI-powered tools that enhance customer satisfaction and drive revenue growth. Similarly, the gaming industry is using GenAI to accelerate game development and build larger game libraries at lower costs, ultimately contributing to increased GMV.

Beyond these specific sectors, artificial intelligence is enhancing broader business functions across all industries. What’s truly remarkable is the speed at which companies in Southeast Asia are realizing value from GenAI.Event: International Conference on Strategic Management and Business Strategy visit :business-strategy-conferences.scifat.com Nomination link: business-strategy-conferences.scifat.com/award-nomination/? ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee Registration link: business-strategy-conferences.scifat.com/award-registration contact:managementstrategy@scifat.com ----------------- Visit : youtube: @bussinessstrategy250 Twitter: twitter.com/awards32874 blogger: bussinessanagement.blogspot.com

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Booming Cross-Border E-Commerce Activity in Asia Presents Opportunities for European Merchants VARIOUS Booming Cross-Border E-Commerce Activity in Asia Presents Opportunities for European Merchants by Fintechnews Switzerland September 12, 2023 International e-commerce spending by JCB cardholders based in Asia increased by 52% between 2021 and 2022, presenting a significant opportunity for merchants in Europe as shoppers across the region show increasing willingness to purchase goods online from foreign businesses, a new paper by the Japanese credit card company shows. The report, titled “Click into Place: Unpacking Card Abandonment”, provides insights on online spending from Asia, sharing the latest research and data on e-commerce trends to help businesses boost e-commerce sales and stand out from the crowd. According to the report, cross-border e-commerce activity increased substantially last year, with India leading the region with a staggering five-fold growth, followed by Indonesia and Vietnam, where cross-border e-commerce more than doubled between 2021 and 2023. In Hong Kong and the Philippines, global e-commerce spending grew by around 80%, while China, Taiwan and Thailand saw growth of about 50%. Further growth is expected in the future as the cart abandonment rate in Asia’s e-commerce industry is currently the highest in the world, standing at over 84% as of March 2023 compared with about 70% for customers globally. High cart abandonment in Asia suggests that there is potential for more expansion in the region if merchants are able to solve customers’ friction points and improve experience, the report says. cross border e-commerce image via freepik Addressing cart abandonment Cart abandonment is the act of a shopper adding an item to an online shopping cart but leaving the website without completing the purchase. It represents a significant amount of lost revenue for merchants in the online space. According to JCB, there are several cause of cart abandonment, with the first common one being the payment journey. In Asia, complicated checkouts and unexpected payment processes are cited as a reason for abandoning carts, with 55% of online shoppers in the region identifying long login and sign-up forms as a key source of frustrated. To address this paint point and boost sales, merchants must enhance customer experience by streamlining their checkout process with a well-designed website. They should also leverage advanced technology and design practices to balance security with user experience, using for example pre-fill information and tokenization to speed up the checkout process, as well as technology like 3DS authentication to increase consumer trust. Such improvements not only increase immediate sales and conversion rates but also foster long-term brand loyalty, the report says. The second cause of cart abandonment outlined in the JCB report is unmet customer expectations around how they can pay, and how easy it is to do so. Understanding customer psychology is vital to reduce cart abandonment in e-commerce, the report says. To cater to local preferences, merchants should offer multiple languages and payment currencies, provide a personalized customer journey, and ensure that payment processes are seamless across both mobile and desktop platforms. This is critical become mobile purchases are on the rise, representing 43% of e-commerce sales globally in 2023. 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They should also bolster customer confidence with reviews and security guarantees. e-commerce cart abondon image via Unsplash Cross-border e-commerce on the rise Over the past couple of years, cross-border e-commerce has witnessed significant growth, driven by the proliferation of the Internet and mobile devices, improved logistics, payment innovations and the rise of global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba and eBay. With disposable income rising in developing markets, e-commerce merchants and marketplaces will continue pivoting towards them, pushing cross-border online shopping to new heights. According to Juniper Research, cross-border e-commerce transaction values will reach US$1.6 trillion this year. Through 2028, that number is projected to grow by more than twofold to US$3.4 trillion. 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Featured image credit: Edited from freepik Get the hottest Fintech Switzerland News once a month in your Inbox email address ASIA CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE ABOUT AUTHOR MORE INFO ABOUT AUTHOR Fintechnews Switzerland Fintechnews Switzerland More by Fintechnews Switzerland