Survey: 86 percent of SEA organizations will use AI agents within next 12 months

Survey: 86 Percent of Southeast Asian Organizations to Use AI Agents Within Next 12 Months

A recent survey reveals that 86 percent of Southeast Asian (SEA) organizations will adopt artificial intelligence (AI) agents within the next 12 months. This insight comes from the IDC InfoBrief titled “Agentic Automation: Unlocking Seamless Orchestration for the Modern Enterprise”, commissioned by UiPath.

Growing Adoption of Agentic AI

The survey found that around 42 percent of organizations in SEA have already implemented agentic AI, with nearly 44 percent planning to deploy the technology soon. This marks a significant shift from AI experimentation to large-scale implementation, positioning 2025 as a pivotal year for AI integration in the region.

Drivers Behind AI Adoption

Businesses are increasingly adopting AI agents to:

• Improve employee productivity
• Accelerate new product development
• Enhance product and service quality
Notably, 75 percent of surveyed organizations reported that agentic AI supports better decision-making, while 72 percent said it increases productivity.

Industry Leaders and Use Cases

Key industries leading AI agent adoption include financial services, manufacturing, retail, and wholesale. The most promising use cases identified for 2025 are:
• Customer support automation (58%)
• Risk management and fraud detection (58%)
• Productivity enhancement (56%)

Challenges in AI Implementation

Despite the enthusiasm, SEA organizations face several challenges:
• AI governance and risk management (22%)
• Shortage of skilled professionals (18%)
• High infrastructure costs (18%)
Specific concerns related to agentic AI include:
• Data privacy breaches (51%)
• Security vulnerabilities due to autonomous actions (48%)
• Unintended consequences from complex interactions (47%)
Implementation hurdles also include data security concerns (57%), high costs (48%), and integration with existing systems (42%).

The Role of Agentic Automation

Agentic automation combines agentic AI and robotic process automation (RPA) to enable autonomous AI agents to handle complex tasks within enterprise workflows. This approach unlocks new levels of efficiency, scalability, and innovation. Businesses are leveraging agentic orchestration to dynamically manage workflows and scale automation across their organizations.

Expert Insights

“Agentic automation is rapidly redefining business operations across Southeast Asia. While enterprises are embracing AI agents to streamline workflows and autonomously execute complex processes, trust and security remain barriers to widespread implementation,” said DebDeep Sengupta, Area Vice President, South Asia, UiPath.

Deepika Giri, Associate Vice President, AI Research IDC Asia/Pacific, added:

“Becoming an AI-fueled business is no longer an option but a strategic necessity. Many leaders see agentic AI’s potential to drive unprecedented productivity, innovation, and growth, which are key to building resilience against future disruptions.”

Recommendations for Responsible AI Adoption

UiPath emphasizes that business leaders must prioritize:
• Building transparent human-agent ecosystems
• Implementing robust governance frameworks
• Ensuring transparent decision-making
• Complying with data security and privacy standards
SEA countries are encouraged to strengthen governance frameworks with clear policies, standards, and regulatory guidelines for ethical AI use. Addressing data security, ethical concerns, and compliance challenges requires:
• Transparent risk management
• Robust security measures
• Targeted upskilling programs
• Public-private partnerships to reduce infrastructure costs

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Originally published at TechNode Global on August 14, 2025.

FAQ

What are AI Agents?

AI agents are sophisticated artificial intelligence systems designed to perform tasks autonomously within defined parameters. They can understand context, make decisions, and execute complex actions to achieve specific goals, often integrating with existing business workflows.

What is Agentic Automation?

Agentic automation is a paradigm that combines agentic AI with robotic process automation (RPA) to create autonomous AI agents capable of handling intricate tasks within enterprise workflows, leading to enhanced efficiency, scalability, and innovation.

What are the key benefits of adopting AI Agents for businesses?

The key benefits include improved employee productivity, accelerated new product development, enhanced product and service quality, and better decision-making. Businesses can also leverage agentic orchestration to dynamically manage workflows and scale automation across their organizations.

What industries are leading AI Agent adoption?

The survey indicates that financial services, manufacturing, retail, and wholesale industries are at the forefront of adopting AI agents.

What are the primary challenges organizations face when implementing AI Agents?

Key challenges include AI governance and risk management, a shortage of skilled professionals, high infrastructure costs, data security concerns, data privacy breaches, and the potential for unintended consequences from complex interactions.

Crypto Market AI's Take

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• AI Agents: The Future of Business Automation
• How AI is Revolutionizing Cryptocurrency Trading
• Understanding Agentic AI in Finance