Enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region are rapidly increasing investments in agentic AI, with 42 percent of organizations planning to allocate at least $1 million to AI agents over the next 12 months, according to a new report released by Informa and technology research firm Omdia.
The report, titled “Staying Ahead in the AI Era,” showed that AI adoption across Southeast Asia is shifting from experimentation toward operational deployment, with companies increasingly focusing on measurable business outcomes and large-scale implementation.
Agentic AI systems, which can initiate actions, coordinate workflows, and execute tasks with limited human involvement, are emerging as a major investment priority for enterprises. Omdia said spending on agentic AI is accelerating faster than generative AI did at a similar stage of adoption.
Beyond AI agents, enterprises are also expanding investments in broader AI infrastructure. About 82 percent of surveyed businesses said they are willing to commit larger AI budgets if organizations can demonstrate measurable and defensible returns on investment.
As a result, traditional IT infrastructure across Asia is increasingly being transformed into what the report described as “AI Factories” — facilities designed to continuously support AI processing and intelligence generation at scale.
The report also examined growing interest in sovereign AI strategies. According to an Omdia survey, 64 percent of enterprises support sovereign AI approaches aimed at protecting local data and aligning AI development with national priorities.
However, Omdia said achieving full AI sovereignty remains difficult for most countries outside the United States and China due to infrastructure and technology limitations. The report suggested APAC countries will likely rely on regional partnerships and collaboration with major technology firms to support national AI ambitions.
The expansion of AI infrastructure is also contributing to growth in the physical AI sector, particularly humanoid robotics. The report highlighted increased investment in robotics ecosystems in South Korea, while Taiwan continues to strengthen its position as a manufacturing hub for robotics vendors.
Cybersecurity and encryption are also becoming more prominent concerns as AI adoption accelerates. Organizations are now balancing multiple AI-related security priorities, including defending against AI-driven cyber threats and securing AI systems themselves.
At the same time, businesses are preparing for the long-term impact of quantum computing on existing encryption standards. According to the report, 32 percent of organizations are already exploring quantum-resistant security technologies as concerns grow over the future viability of encryption methods such as RSA and AES.