Enterprises across Southeast Asia are set to see significant changes in how artificial intelligence is used in 2026, with the rise of autonomous AI agents - known as agentic AI - driving shifts in business operations and customer engagement. Salesforce has outlined several trends that suggest a rapid acceleration towards what it terms the 'Agentic Enterprise'.
Localisation drive
Localisation of AI models is expected to be a key focus, as businesses in ASEAN seek tools that understand regional languages and cultural nuances. Historically, many AI models have launched exclusively in English, but Salesforce expects new models tailored for languages such as Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia. These localised models are anticipated to provide more tailored and relevant experiences for customers and help businesses solve challenges unique to their markets.
Technological leapfrogging
Businesses in ASEAN have previously bypassed older technologies, with the region's shift from limited desktop adoption to widespread mobile use. Salesforce predicts a similar leap to agentic AI adoption, driven by the region's youthful and digitally-engaged workforce. Lacking legacy systems, many firms in ASEAN may be able to deploy AI agents directly into workflows, transforming collaboration between humans and machines. This is likely to open up new models of work that would not have been possible using earlier technology.
Experimentation culture
Companies are being encouraged to experiment to uncover the full range of potential applications for agentic AI. With the current stage of adoption compared to the early days of electricity-where new uses were constantly discovered-firms are urged to remain agile in exploring novel solutions. Establishing solid data infrastructure is seen as a foundation for successful AI experimentation, with businesses advised to avoid a passive approach in order to avoid missing out on emerging opportunities.
Agent-to-agent dealings
The next phase may see AI agents representing both companies and individuals as fully autonomous intermediaries. Personal AI agents could take on tasks from scheduling to managing payments, reducing day-to-day administrative burdens. Interactions between personal and business AI agents may form a new mode of commerce, where transactions and service requests are managed with limited human oversight.
Brand representation
Salesforce expects brand identity to be increasingly shaped by the behaviour of AI agents, moving beyond taglines to always-on digital ambassadors that interact with both customers and personal AI agents. The effectiveness and helpfulness of these agents may become a deciding factor in consumer loyalty, as automated interactions replace more traditional measures of brand value.
Voice interaction
AI agents are poised to integrate natural voice technology to improve customer service and simplify engagement. The ambition is for customers to interact with companies in a more conversational way, bypassing the need for legacy interactive voice response menus. With the complexity of regional languages, this could represent a significant technical hurdle, but the rewards are seen in freeing up staff for more complex issues and improving overall satisfaction.
Real-world integration
AI agents will increasingly move from purely digital interfaces into ambient computing environments embedded in devices around consumers. This includes applications such as smart signage offering tailored promotions in shopping centres, or robotic concierges in hotels that respond to real-time events affecting customer experience. The aim is for AI to function invisibly in the background, enhancing interactions without intruding on daily life.
Orchestrated workforces
The anticipated shift is to an 'orchestrated workforce' model, where a central AI agent coordinates specialist agents for specific tasks, mirroring cross-functional teams in physical workplaces. Human staff are expected to move into supervisory roles, overseeing performance and ethical considerations, while AI agents handle the bulk of interactions and routine decisions.
"The availability of local and region-specific AI unlocks a huge opportunity in ASEAN, empowering businesses to solve uniquely local problems. For example, we are making our Agentforce available in Southeast Asian languages such as Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Bahasa Melayu, and Bahasa Indonesia for the first time, to enable more local businesses in the region to transform into truly Agentic Enterprises," said Gavin Barfield, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Solutions, Salesforce ASEAN.
