Generative AI is reshaping the technological landscape in Southeast Asia, through disruption, automation and outpacing traditional innovation. Southeast Asia has a unique blend of emerging markets and tech-savvy populations, presenting strong opportunities for applying advanced AI technologies.
Even right now, companies are revolutionizing traditional industries as well as fostering new, innovative startups, Generative AI is at the forefront of this transformation. However, with such rapid growth comes challenges and considerations, ranging from ethical implications to market readiness and infrastructure support.
Throughout 2023, Tech Collective has interviewed dozens of experts and we have shortlisted insights from four experts in the field. They understand the industry and have deep knowledge of how the markets will adapt to the changing flow.
Jonathan Savoir, CEO and Co-Founder of Quincus
Our first expert, Jonathan Savoir, CEO and Co-Founder of Quincus, delves into the misconceptions around the utilisation and reality of what AI is at the moment. Looking at it from a practical standpoint, he discusses how it works in real life.
One prevalent misconception is that adopting advanced technology, including AI and automation, is a straightforward process or a one stop shop. In reality, integrating these technologies into existing systems can be highly complex and may require significant time and the right resources. There is also a common fear that automation and AI will lead to widespread job displacement in the industry. While certain tasks may become automated, these technologies also create new job opportunities in areas like AI system maintenance, data analysis, and strategic decision-making.
On the other hand, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding the understanding of AI capabilities and limitations. Some may overestimate AI’s ability to make autonomous decisions without human oversight, leading to potential errors or misunderstandings. The logistics industry handles sensitive customer and business data and some stakeholders may not fully understand the importance of data privacy and security when implementing AI and IoT devices, which leaves them vulnerable to potential breaches.
In addition, the black box of AI must be opened up for users through user interfaces and platforms, to ensure operators can intervene at any time into real life operations.
Ethan Li, Chief Strategist at MaivenPoint
Next, we hear from Ethan Li, Chief Strategist at MaivenPoint, which is an edtech innovator, building education tools implementing AI solutions. He looks into AI adoption or lack thereof, within the region and the reasons stopping education stakeholders from leaning more into the new technology.
Across SEA, the reception to AI in education is varied, with a cautious yet growing inclination towards its integration into educational tools and platforms.
Nations like Singapore and Indonesia are embracing the use of generative AI to enhance learning experiences. For instance, in February 2023, Singapore’s Education Minister advocated for AI’s role in aiding students to refine their work, drawing parallels to how calculators aid in math.
As far back as 2021, AI Singapore founded the AI Centre for Educational Technologies (AICET), a research centre which currently partners with the Ministry of Education and the National University of Singapore to launch AI projects that will improve the education system locally. Meanwhile, in May 2023, Jakarta’s Education Office hosted a digital training for educators, promoting the guided use of AI tools in student learning.
Conversely, countries like Malaysia remain sceptical, with many equating the use of generative AI to plagiarism.
The adoption of AI for educational purposes has encountered significantly less resistance. Understanding the need for digital transformation, Singapore’s six premier higher education institutions have collaborated with MaivenPoint to launch an integrated SaaS training management platform tailored for career professionals. Slated for release in 2023, this platform will be enhanced with the AI capabilities of Vitae.
This AI-driven platform will offer over 100,000 learners a catalogue of 44,000 courses, equipping them with a range of professional skills in both online and hybrid learning settings. As the educational landscape in SEA continues to mature, we see top-tier institutions across the region inevitably gravitating towards digital transformation, with AI poised as a pivotal catalyst.
The region still has strides to make, particularly in shifting perceptions around issues like plagiarism, before fully welcoming the role of generative AI in education.
Manuel Denoual, Managing Director, NP Digital Singapore
Our third expert, Manuel Denoual, Managing Director, NP Digital Singapore, is a tech entrepreneur based in Singapore. Manuel explores the potential for the industry in the marketing field and what are some of the changes we can expect to see.
SEO and SEM are some of the areas that have been profoundly affected by the advent of Generative AI. On May 25, Google opened up access to Search Labs, which incorporates Generative AI into users’ search experience. The new Search Generative Experiences (SGE) herald a fundamental change in the way consumers use SEO & SEM, and brands must take note of this to stand out from their contemporaries.
Google’s SGE will have huge implications on Organic and Paid Searches. Organic search traffic from Google will inevitably decrease as SGE and ChatGPT usage drives down traffic. In other words, people will find enough of what they need in the SGE and ChatGPT, ignoring organic results. Brands should aim to appear at the top of the search results page with the objective of being one of the first sources cited by AI. For Paid search, brands should aim to be the first ad shown during the conversation, as it will be deemed by the AI to be the most relevant to a user’s search experience.
While we don’t know yet exactly how ad placements or AI optimisation will work, one thing’s for certain – having relevant, rich content crawlable by the AI will be the key to “winning” in the Generative AI era, and the key to achieving this lies in localisation and personalisation. For years, global companies typically build a competitive advantage by relying on the same approach across geographies – in terms of operating models and data management. But in recent years, increased globalisation, changing consumer preferences, and advancements in technology have made it essential for brands to localise their approach to connect with diverse audiences, navigate cultural nuances, and deliver personalised experiences.
Generative AI is still in its infancy and we are probably only seeing the top of the iceberg in terms of the usage, implications and risks that it entails. This reinforces the need for brands to partner with a marketing agency that doesn’t only understand AI from a conceptual standpoint but is deeply familiar with it. At NPD we leverage and integrate AI into our own technology Ubersuggest and Answer the Public in order to understand better the competitive landscape, consumer intent, and content demand. Ultimately, as an agency, we are focused on helping brands disrupt their industry through digital marketing and if AI can help them achieve this goal we embrace it, with all the needed safeguards in place and with an ethical approach.
Yan Lee, Founder and Managing Partner, Hive Ventures
Finally, we feature insights from Yan Lee, Founder and Managing Partner, Hive Ventures, who discusses the potential of AI across different industries and a look into the blockchain and crypto space. With so much disruption and market volatility, the opportunities for AI in the space may not be fully utilized as yet.
With many AI technologies realizing in just the first two months of 2023, the AI sector will definitely see a rise in development, implementation and competition. With the industry already valuing at US$328.34 billion, its potential for tremendous growth and ability to revolutionize existing industries proves AI will become one of the driving factors of economic growth. The AI industry is already realising its growth with various AI technologies announced globally that are slowly integrating their way into the daily lives of corporate functions and the general populace.
Specifically, applications into Digital Transformation to uplift efficiencies and growth opportunities for the manufacturing, finance, logistics and retail sectors should see continuous growth as ASEAN seeks to come back stronger after the pandemic. Technologies that increase operational efficiencies, better predict business trends and anomalies as well as automate processes will start seeing greater adoption across the region.
While blockchain had a rough 2022, with cryptocurrency plummeting some 60%, cryptocurrency is believed to be able to make a comeback with the maturing technology and the companies envisioning the benefits. We also anticipate a growth in Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) expanding beyond the primary function as a tool for acquiring ownership of a digital object on the blockchain. NFTs may become more personalized and nuanced where they would represent the tangible certificates and documents, intangible units or physical cash generating assets. It could also be used as an advanced form of digital identification through forms such as Soul Bound Tokens (SBTs).