Adobe's Digital Trends 2024 Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) report has revealed brands in the region are leading the charge in generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) deployment, outpacing their counterparts in the US and Europe.

The report indicates 65% of APJ brands have implemented full or initial AI solutions and pilots, compared to 61% in the US and 55% in Europe.

Within the APJ region, AI deployment is highest in Japan (82%), followed by India and Asia (both at 72%), while Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) lag behind their peers with a formal implementation rate of 50%.

The majority of APJ brands plan to reorganise teams and functions to accommodate AI usage, with the highest intent recorded in Asia (80%) and India (74%), followed by ANZ (67%). Plans to introduce AI leadership roles are high across the regions, with India at 78%, Asia at 73%, ANZ at 64%, and Japan at 60%.

The report highlights that 75% of ANZ brands see clear benefits of using AI for content creation, while 27% of ANZ practitioners routinely use generative AI to craft emails, messages, and other copy. However, only 3% of ANZ executives concede there is no formal AI strategy compared to 21% of ANZ practitioners.

Another finding from the report is most brands are developing guidelines for responsible use of AI (73%) and aligning a comprehensive AI roadmap with broader business goals (71%).

Generative AI integration is the digital initiative most likely to support growth in 2024 among APJ brands. Brands anticipate significant changes to operating models and organisational structures to support generative AI adoption. Most brands are planning to increase investment in customer data management in 2024.

Vice president Digital Experience Marketing Asia Pacific and Japan, Adobe, Duncan Egan, said: "For some senior executives, adoption can be as simple as signing a vendor contract, while practitioners are likely better acquainted with the realities of having the right data, tools and training. However, we expect this disconnect to narrow in 2024, with brands poised to strengthen organisational readiness for generative AI deployment."

Egan said, "Generative AI offers a clearer path to unify data, predict customer needs, and deliver more relevant and time-critical content. However, the study shows that despite widespread adoption intentions, only some brands are recalibrating to seize these benefits, putting them ahead in the race for consumer loyalty, conversion, and trust."