Brands in the Asia-Pacific region face a growing challenge as consumers increasingly rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to make purchasing decisions. According to a recent report, 57% of APAC consumers instruct their AI agent which brands to consider.
The report highlights the importance of brands being visible to AI agents, exploring vertical specialization, and building operational foundations for agent-led purchasing. Those that act now will be best positioned to capture growth in the market.
One out of three consumers would switch preferred brands based on the recommendations of an AI agent, while over 85% trust AI agents more than friends in making a purchase. As AI adoption grows in the retail and consumer sector, agents can now compare and recommend products, complete a purchase, and manage deliveries for a customer.
Brands must focus on ensuring that they are captured by "horizontal agents," or AI assistants that help consumers discover, compare, and purchase products across multiple categories. This requires product data to be machine-readable, claims verifiable, pricing transparent, and customer experiences trustworthy by AI systems.
For APAC brands to boost consumer reach, they must leverage the opportunities posed by agentic commerce. This involves undertaking an enterprise-wide reinvention, bringing together marketing, sales, service, operations, and technology teams, and investing in the capabilities, governance, and operating models needed to scale AI-driven experiences.
The report surveyed 25,590 consumers across 16 Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, Greater China, India, and Japan. By understanding the growing importance of AI in consumer decision-making, brands can position themselves for success in an increasingly digital market.
