ASEAN Nations Embrace AI But Grapple with Talent Shortages and Regulatory Hurdles

AI adoption surges in ASEAN despite challenges: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has seen an 80% increase in Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects in 2023, with budgets expected to rise by 67% in 2024-2025.

• Despite the growing enthusiasm for AI in Southeast Asia, large-scale and sustainable implementation faces significant hurdles across various sectors.
• The financial sector has taken the lead in adopting data-driven AI solutions, while many projects in other industries remain in the proof-of-concept or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stages.
• Successful AI implementations predominantly involve data analytics, impacting areas such as marketing, fraud detection, and government-sponsored smart cities.

Key challenges hindering widespread AI adoption: ASEAN countries face several obstacles in implementing AI solutions on a large scale, ranging from talent shortages to regulatory concerns.

• There is a scarcity of companies with large-scale AI capabilities within ASEAN, with most providers located outside the region, primarily in China.
• A significant talent gap exists across the AI spectrum, from algorithm development to critical thinking about AI solutions, particularly in countries with older demographics like Thailand.
• Geopolitical considerations arise due to the dominance of US and Chinese companies in AI technology development, requiring ASEAN nations to navigate complex international dynamics.

Regulatory landscape and investment hurdles: The absence of comprehensive AI-specific regulations and high implementation costs pose additional challenges for ASEAN countries.

• Many ASEAN nations lack AI-specific regulations or are still in the process of developing them, relying heavily on existing Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) frameworks based on the European GDPR model.
• Singapore leads the region with the most robust legal framework, but harmonization across other ASEAN countries is necessary for consistent AI implementation.
• The high cost of implementing AI solutions, often reflecting US, UK, and Japan benchmarks, makes it difficult for many ASEAN companies to achieve a positive return on investment (ROI) without subsidies or being part of a major AI-implementing nation’s subsidiary.

Legacy systems and financial considerations: Previous digital transformation efforts and write-off costs associated with large-scale implementations create additional barriers to AI adoption.

• Many ASEAN retailers underwent significant digital transformations between 2017 and 2019, involving substantial Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementations with write-off costs typically spread over a decade.
• The additional write-off burden associated with large-scale AI adoption discourages some companies, leading them to favor smaller-scale data analytics solutions.
• Justifying the ROI for AI projects remains challenging in ASEAN, further compounded by the region’s lower resource costs compared to developed nations.

Workforce implications and ethical considerations: The potential for job displacement due to AI automation raises concerns about the future job market and ethical implementation strategies.

• McKinsey estimates that 23 million jobs could be displaced by automation in ASEAN by 2030, although new jobs are expected to emerge to replace those lost.
• The uncertainty surrounding the future job market and the impact of AI on the workforce may slow decision-making processes for AI projects affecting employment.
• Ethical considerations are crucial when addressing job displacement issues in ASEAN countries, requiring careful planning and mitigation strategies.

Navigating the path forward: To successfully implement AI solutions in ASEAN, organizations must develop flexible strategies that address regulatory, ethical, and economic challenges.

• A clear and adaptable strategy is essential to maximize the ROI of AI projects while remaining responsive to evolving government regulations and ethical considerations.
• Collaboration between governments, businesses, and educational institutions is crucial to address the talent gap and develop local AI expertise.
• ASEAN countries should work towards harmonizing AI regulations and fostering regional cooperation to create a more conducive environment for large-scale AI adoption.