From AI Ambition to Business Outcomes

Recent research points to a persistent execution gap. Cisco's 2025 AI Readiness Index found that only 16% of Southeast Asian organizations were considered AI-ready, while just one in three had a formal change-management plan. In Singapore, the Ministry of Manpower reported that high implementation cost (44.9%) and limited in-house expertise (42.4%) were the leading constraints, while only 3.8% of firms had integrated AI into their core business processes.

The challenge is even more visible across ASEAN — Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines all report over half their organisations facing a digital skills shortage, and Deloitte's 2026 Thailand survey found that 71% of respondents regarded technical talent and skills as a major obstacle.

What this reveals: many businesses can purchase technology or begin a pilot, but fewer have the internal capacity to redesign workflows, lead adoption, manage delivery risk and convert investment into measurable results.