Southeast Asian online sellers are widely aware of artificial intelligence (AI) but are relatively low in actual adoption in business operations, according to a new joint study by e-commerce platforms Lazada and Kantar.
The study, titled “Bridging the AI Gap: Online Seller Perceptions and Adoption Trends in Southeast Asia,” which surveyed 1,214 online sellers from the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, paints a picture of both optimism and uncertainty regarding AI in e-commerce.
The study says that while 68% of sellers are familiar with AI and 89% agree on its importance for productivity, 61% question its immediate usefulness, while 64% cite cost and complexity as major barriers to adoption. Interestingly, half of the sellers already use AI in their personal lives, but business application significantly lags behind.
Profiling AI adoption: Who’s leading and who’s left behind
To categorize the levels of AI readiness, the study introduced an AI Readiness Index, dividing sellers into three groups: AI Adepts …
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