73 percent of Southeast Asian shoppers prefer artificial intelligence (AI) to augment, not replace human service, highlighting strong demand for hybrid experiences that combine AI efficiency with human empathy, SleekFlow whitepaper showed Tuesday.
According to the whitepaper, AI has evolved from novelty to necessity, with the study showed consumers are significantly more likely to complete a purchase when assisted by AI-powered recommendations: 70 percent in Singapore, 75 percent in Indonesia, and 79 percent in Malaysia.
Shoppers value AI for its 24/7 availability, instant responses, and intuitive self-service, particularly for tasks like tracking orders, product information, and checkout.
With 88 percent of respondents unwilling to wait more than five minutes for a human agent, AI’s role in delivering immediate, seamless support is becoming essential.
Meanwhile, personalized offers drive action, with 73 percent of Singaporean consumers, 80 percent in Malaysia, and 86 percent in Indonesia say they are more likely to purchase when offers are tailored.
However, relevance is key. Consumers respond best to personalization in areas like discounts, product recommendations, and customized suggestions, with over 70 percent saying AI positively impacts their final purchase decision.
While AI adoption is growing, 41 percent of respondents believe it will only replace human customer service in the distant future.
Most consumers say their preference for AI or human interaction depends on context.
70 percent prefer AI for simple tasks, but a similar proportion still value human support for emotional and complex enquiries.
“As we enter the phase of the AI era where AI is now widely considered and adopted by many businesses, we at Carousell Luxury are no different,
“The prevalence of AI adoption also means we can utilize such features to evaluate our business operations more effectively and for the benefit of our community,” said Tresor Anne Tan, Director of Client Relations at Carousell Group.
According to her, AI agents will very likely be even more human-centric in the coming years (possibly months) which, in turn, will mean a speedier yet still personable service for customers who are looking to buy from and sell their luxury items to the firm.
Meanwhile, the report showed that despite the rise of automation, people still want the human touch.
The nuances of human interaction, from tone of voice and body language to empathy, remain critical in fostering trust and meaningful relationships.
The future isn’t AI versus humans, it’s AI and humans, said the report.
Among the 570 businesses surveyed, 67 percent are already using AI or automation, with chatbots being the most common application, particularly in retail, professional services, and finance.
Looking ahead, over 90 percent of businesses plan to expand their AI usage within the next two years, focusing on AI agents, AI-powered analytics, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and omnichannel engagement tools.
In Indonesia, 65.12 percent of businesses report that AI significantly improves customer satisfaction, especially during the awareness and consideration stages of the
customer journey.
However, cost remains the biggest barrier to adoption, alongside concerns around implementation costs, limited internal resources and uncertain return of investment (ROI).
Yet as industries rapidly evolve, the cost of inaction may soon outweigh the investment required to stay competitive, said the report.
“AI is no longer about replacing people. It’s about amplifying the human impact. Customers want instant, intelligent answers, but also reassurance, empathy, and trust,
“Our vision is to equip businesses with AI Agents that don’t just automate, but understand, so they can scale without losing what makes their brand human,” said Asnawi Jufrie, Vice President and General Manager of SleekFlow Southeast Asia.
The whitepaper also reinforces a key insight: the future lies in collaborative intelligence, where AI and humans work together to create faster, smarter, and more emotionally attuned customer experiences.