Asia-Pacific firms ramp up AI investments

CEBU, Philippines — Asia-Pacific companies are stepping up artificial intelligence (AI) investments as executives face pressure to turn rapidly expanding AI adoption into measurable business gains within the next year.

About 80 percent of C-suite executives in the region plan to increase AI investments over the next 12 months, according to Accenture’s latest Pulse of Change research, even as businesses contend with slower growth expectations, inflation concerns and heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

More than half, or 53 percent, expect their AI investments to deliver quantifiable outcomes that can be reported to corporate boards within the next year, reflecting a shift from experimentation toward demands for measurable returns.

The push comes even as only 21 percent of executives said their organizations have already achieved widespread and sustained business value from AI, down from 26 percent at the start of the year.

Still, companies are seeing stronger-than-expected results from newer forms of AI.

About 65 percent of executives said investments in agentic AI—systems designed to perform tasks and make decisions with greater autonomy—are generating higher returns than initially anticipated, particularly in productivity, decision-making, customer and employee experiences, innovation and risk management.

“Organizations are doubling down on AI because they recognize it is critical for competitive advantage and growth, and because they are seeing tangible results,” Ryoji Sekido, Asia Pacific co-chief executive officer at Accenture, said in a statement.

Companies generating the most value are treating AI as a strategic business-transformation priority rather than solely a technology initiative, while investing in talent, capabilities and operating models needed to sustain those gains, Sekido said.

AI reshapes workforce

The acceleration in AI spending is also exposing a growing gap in workforce skills, with companies facing pressure to redesign jobs and expand training as AI changes how employees work.

Employees are increasingly reporting productivity gains from AI tools. Some 82 percent now say AI has improved their overall productivity, up sharply from 43 percent at the start of the year.  About 72 percent also reported higher job satisfaction since AI tools were introduced.

Yet the gains are accompanied by concerns over who will bear the cost of adapting to changing roles. More than half, or 53 percent, of employees said they believe they would be expected to reskill on their own if AI disrupts their jobs.

That is putting workforce redesign and reskilling alongside technology investment as companies seek to capture AI’s potential without widening skills gaps.

Accenture surveyed 3,000 C-suite executives and 3,000 employees across 20 countries and 19 industries between April and June 2026. The APAC sample included 680 executives and 680 employees.

The findings suggest the next phase of AI adoption in the region will be judged less by how widely companies deploy the technology and more by whether those investments translate into measurable business performance—and whether their workforces are equipped to capture the gains. — (FREEMAN)