GenAI emerges as top priority for APAC C-Suite leaders, Salesforce study reveals

Generative AI (GEN AI) has swiftly climbed the ranks of business priorities, with 83% of C-suite executives across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region now placing it among their top three concerns, according to new research by Salesforce.

The study which surveyed 1,243 leaders from large organizations, highlighted that 54% of businesses already have a clear Gen AI strategy, while 40% are in the process of developing one.

The findings point to key drivers behind this AI push, with the desire to innovate customer and employee experiences (44%) and meet rising customer expectations for faster, more personalized service (44%) topping the list. Boosting productivity and efficiency also remains a central motivator, noted by 43% of executives.

In terms of leadership accountability, CEOs are seen as most responsible for ensuring successful integration of Gen AI, according to 37% of respondents. Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) follow closely at 25%, with department heads accounting for 19%.

When asked where Gen AI would create the most positive impact, APAC executives pointed to information technology (42%), operations(31%), customer service (30%), and research and insights (28%).

Despite its broad adoption, 93% of APAC executives acknowledged that significant barriers still impede Gen AI's full integration. The most common challenges include accessibility and inclusivity (37%), lack of skill-building opportunities (31%), incomplete customer or company data for AI training (30%), concerns over AI tools delivering inaccurate results (30%), and cost to implement Gen AI tools (30%).

Industry-wide Growth

The Salesforce study aligns with a broader trend revealed in Capgemini's "Harnessing the Value of Generative AI 2nd edition" report, which indicates that 80% of organizations are increasing their investments in Gen AI into business operations has surged, with 24% of companies having integrated AI across various functions - a significant jump from just 6% last year.

Retail, in particular, has seen a notable rise in AI deployment, with implementation growing to 40%, more than doubling the figure from 2023.