Adobe Study: AI Boosts Innovation Across Asia, But Fragmented Data Slows Progress

Singapore, 11 June 2025 – As finance leaders across Asia intensify efforts to unlock digital-driven growth, a new study from Adobe reveals that generative AI is rapidly becoming a core growth engine. However, fragmented data and security concerns remain major barriers to scaling impact.

The Adobe 2025 AI and Digital Trends Asia snapshot—based on a survey of over 500 senior executives in Hong Kong, South Korea, and Southeast Asia—highlights how businesses are leveraging generative AI to streamline operations, free up internal resources, and enhance revenue generation through more targeted marketing strategies.

More than half (55%) of executives surveyed say that AI has helped redirect team focus toward strategic initiatives, while 53% cite revenue improvements through more effective marketing.

“Businesses across Asia are embracing generative AI at an unprecedented pace, and the impact is already tangible,” said Shashank Sharma, Senior Director, Digital Experience, Southeast Asia and Korea at Adobe. “From accelerating innovation to unlocking new revenue streams, GenAI is not just a tool—it’s a growth engine for businesses world over.”

From Efficiency Gains to Customer Retention

With customer loyalty and retention increasingly at the forefront of CFO and CMO agendas, AI—including generative and predictive capabilities—is now viewed as a primary contributor to business growth in 2025.

Unlike other markets in the Asia-Pacific and Japan (JAPAC) region, businesses in Asia are reporting broader and more creative applications of AI beyond customer service. Among the key use cases driving return on investment:

• Customer journey orchestration (16%)
• Creative content and virtual photoshoots (14%)
• AI-powered customer support and chat (14%)

“In Asia, organisations must cater for a diverse, digitally savvy, and mobile-first audience. We’re seeing a wide range of use cases on generative AI emerge in the market,” Sharma added.

Data Silos Pose Persistent Roadblocks

Despite enthusiasm around AI’s potential, businesses are facing a growing disconnect between ambition and execution—particularly when it comes to delivering personalised customer experiences at scale.

Only 9% of practitioners surveyed described their digital customer experience as “exceptional,” with 88% citing fragmented data as a top challenge to delivering real-time, tailored interactions. Privacy and security concerns are also impeding data integration efforts, flagged by 43% of respondents as their biggest obstacle.

Looking ahead, CFOs and CIOs across Asia are prioritising data unification and real-time insights (61%) as critical investment areas over the next two years. AI and machine learning capabilities (57%) are also expected to influence strategic technology roadmaps, underscoring a dual focus on innovation and resilience.

Pressure Mounts from AI-Driven Expectations

While 87% of senior leaders expect generative AI to significantly increase the speed and volume of content production by 2025, operational teams are already feeling the strain. Nearly seven in ten (69%) practitioners say they’re overwhelmed by the demands of implementing and managing new technologies like generative AI—marking the highest reported stress level in JAPAC.

To address this, companies are now exploring agentic AI—autonomous assistants and copilots that help manage repetitive tasks such as data entry, content generation, and customer query handling.

“Today, more than ever before, businesses are seeing mounting pressure to use generative AI to elevate their customer experiences. Agentic AI can help ease this burden,” Sharma explained. “By integrating into assistants and copilots, it can provide businesses more adaptive and autonomous support.”

The combined use of generative and agentic AI is increasingly seen as a path to scale personalisation without increasing headcount—while reducing dependence on traditional support channels like call centres.