AI innovation no longer flows in one direction. Jeff Walters, who leads the AI topic in Asia Pacific, explains why companies across China, India, and Southeast Asia are moving at speed—and in some cases pulling ahead. For CEOs, the real differentiator isn’t geography. It’s leadership ambition, organizational change, and the willingness to rethink knowledge work from the ground up.

Learn more: Jeff Walters, Managing Director & Senior Partner, https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/jeff-walters

AI at Work: Is Asia Pacific Leading the Way? https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/ai-at-work-is-asia-pacific-leading-the-way

The Widening AI Value Gap, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/are-you-generating-value-from-ai-the-widening-gap

Latest Thinking on AI, https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/artificial-intelligence/insights

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:59 AI Evolution Across Asia

03:15 Factors Driving AI Adoption in Asia

04:20 How Do AI Attitudes Differ Globally?

06:00 CEOs’ Priorities to Unlock Value from AI

08:45 Asia’s AI Role vs. Silicon Valley

10:03 Information Asymmetry in AI: East vs. West

10:58 What to Learn from Asia’s AI Ecosystems

11:49 Which Asian Sectors Are Deploying AI Fastest?

13:36 What Are Dark Factories–and Why Do They Matter?

14:04 Who Will Lead AI Transformation over the Next Decade?

15:35 Why Is AI Adoption Slower in Some Asia Pacific Markets?

16:26 Asia Pacific Innovation by Region

17:30 Which Sectors Lead AI Transformation?

19:52 What Steps Should Leaders Take to Accelerate AI Impact?

21:47 The "Now What"

22:35 Outro (edited)

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