Asia's AI Agenda: Executive Summary

Asia-based senior executives at global companies believe that the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics on their business performance in Asia will be profound and positive--and will be felt sooner than we may think. Outside of global robotics industry leaders Korea and Japan, most of Asia currently lacks the depth of technical skills and R&D facilities needed to keep pace with AI development. However, China, India, and other large Asian economies generate a copious amount of data, a tremendous "natural resource" that is critical to pushing AI's capabilities forward. Ironically, given the commonly held view that AI will be responsible for disintermediation of jobs at all levels, it is Asia's massive human capital dividend--the billions of constantly Internet-connected workers and consumers--that will propel AI development in the region farther and faster. MIT Technology Review's International Markets division surveyed more than 60 Asia-based senior executives to gather perspective on the impact of AI and robotics on Asia's business landscape.