The Way of the Future

Many people believe that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will change our future in ways we can’t even imagine. For some this is scary, for others it’s exhilarating. a new report Artificial Intelligence in Asia: Trust, Understanding and the Opportunity to Re-Skill, reveals how Asians feel about AI.

Job opportunities were a top concern for Asian consumers but most recognised the need to develop and upskill for the jobs of the future (58%). Most Asian consumers also believe that AI will improve the world and their lives in the future (63%); helping them make smarter decisions and their jobs more interesting.

Forget the digital divide we’re entering the an era of AI agitation.

Asian consumers still lack an understanding of AI, and the data shows that this corresponds with a lower level of trust. Those who believe that AI can improve their lives and the world, are also the ones who reported a higher level of understanding of AI. Higher levels of understanding translated to higher levels of trust, which represents a strong opportunity for businesses to educate and inform their customers on the true value of AI.

Views on Chatbots, Robo-Advisors and Self-Driving Cars
Consumers in Asia still prefer human interaction, and exhibited low trust levels toward Chatbots, Robo-Advisors and Self-Driving Cars. They tend to have a higher acceptance of product or content recommendations through AI but ultimately still trust the opinions of friends and families. Voice assistants are the most popular choice of AI interaction among Asian consumers as more than half of the respondents would actively choose to interact with one. Clearly most Asians recognize that AI will help to remake their future.

Data Highlights

Singapore

  • 61% of Singaporeans think AI will enable them to do a better or more interesting job.
  • Only 29% think AI will put them out of a job.
  • 66% acknowledged the need to learn, develop and upskill themselves to be future-ready.
  • “The more I understand AI, the more I trust it,” says 38% of Singaporeans.

Hong Kong

  • 55% of Hong Kong consumers think AI will enable them to do a better or more interesting job in the future and only 29% think AI will put them out of a job.
  • Only 45% expressed a desire to upskill themselves for jobs of the future.
  • 35% said the more they understand AI, the more they trust it.

Thoughts on Robo-Advisors

  • In Singapore (69%) and Hong Kong (77%), consumers still trust a human more and prefer to interact with one to offer financial and wealth advice.
  • Malaysian and Thai consumers’ sentiment are similar to that of Singapore and Hong Kong’s; but Indonesians and Filipinos would trust a Robo-Advisor and a human equally.

Thoughts on Chatbots

  • Singapore consumers (90%) overwhelmingly trust and prefer a human over a chatbot, have a good understanding of a chatbot and have interacted with one (79%).
  • Asian consumers across Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines all prefer the human touch and trust a human to better understand the issue and will give them the answer they are looking for.

Thoughts on Self-Driving Cars

  • Asian consumers still trust and prefer a human over a self-driving car, and the data shows that most believe a human and a self-driving car has an equal chance of an accident, except Hong Kongers who trust that humans have a lower risk of getting into a crash.

In the end AI will change the future and most Asians are beginning to understand just how profoundly tomorrow will be from the past.

Published by Editorial Team

The Asia Rising Editorial Team is made up of a multinational team of writers, content experts and journalists from around the world operating out of our Bureaus in New York, Bangkok, Toronto and while on assignment across Asia.