AI revolution brings innovation & anxiety across global sectors

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is swiftly transforming the way businesses operate, heightening both innovation and complexity across sectors.

As AI Appreciation Day brings global attention to these advances, industry leaders across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and beyond are urging organisations to not only recognise AI's achievements but also navigate its associated challenges with care, strategy, and inclusivity.

AI - not just a tool but a vital resource

Daniel Hein, Field CTO at Informatica Asia Pacific and Japan, highlights the rapid adoption of Generative AI in APAC, noting the region's ambition to stay ahead on the global stage.

"AI goes beyond just a tool – it's a vital resource. It supports smarter adaptation measures, accelerates resilience planning, and fosters inclusive innovation that transcends industries and national boundaries," says Hein.

He outlines the influence of Agentic AI in optimising decision-making for sectors such as energy and finance, while Generative AI is democratising problem-solving, empowering even non-technical users.

However, Hein stresses that organisations must strengthen data foundations and prioritise continuous upskilling, especially in AI literacy. "Investing in strong data infrastructure and continuous upskilling is critical to fully harness AI's capabilities and future-proof organisations," he advises.

AI extends beyond productivity gains

AI's influence extends well beyond productivity gains. In cybersecurity, Bernard Montel, EMEA Technical Director and Security Strategist at Tenable, describes how AI is integral to modern defence strategies.

Montel points to the technology's ability to analyse vast datasets, automate threat detection, and maintain secure systems. He emphasises that AI should be viewed as an augmenting tool, not a replacement for human talent. "This means designing systems where AI handles repetitive tasks, freeing humans to focus on complex problem-solving, innovation, and ethical oversight," Montel explains.

Yet, as AI grows in sophistication, so do the threats. The proliferation of AI-generated deepfakes and automated malware has heightened the need for robust cyber defence strategies, including exposure management and comprehensive employee training. Montel urges organisations to embrace ethical AI development and continued vigilance to unlock the technology's full potential while protecting digital infrastructure.

The benefit and risk of AI development

The software development sector has also felt AI's rapid impact. Nick Durkin, Field CTO at Harness, acknowledges the increased speed of code generation delivered by AI, but warns of a wider 'blast radius' of errors if flawed AI-generated code enters production. "Generating code is easy, but getting it safely into production is the hard part," Durkin notes. He advocates for embedding AI throughout the software delivery lifecycle, not just in code writing, to support higher-quality and safer software deployments.

Meanwhile, Michael Bachman, Head of Architecture and AI Strategy at Boomi Innovation Group, points to the emergence of the "Agent Economy," in which autonomous AI agents operate across platforms. With the increasing complexity and the risk of "agent sprawl," Bachman stresses the necessity for a centralised framework to govern AI agents and manage their interactions safely and effectively.

AI adoption grows, but anxiety remains

The legal field is no exception to AI's reach. Jennifer Poon, Legal Solutions Director at NetDocuments, observes that lawyers themselves are now leading technology adoption, recognising AI's potential to boost productivity by automating routine work. She recommends integrating AI directly into the workflows and systems lawyers already use, ensuring the technology enhances precision and security without disrupting established protocols.

Model Context Protocol (MCP), described by Mehdi Goodarzi, Global Head – GenAI Consulting at Hexaware Technologies, offers a promising way to scale AI responsibly across enterprises. MCP enables large language models and agents to share context and interact "intelligently" across platforms, but Goodarzi highlights the need for ongoing development of governance and privacy standards as the technology matures.

Despite the enthusiasm among business leaders, research from WalkMe has uncovered significant employee anxiety about AI adoption. Vivek Behl, VP Strategy, warns that many workers, especially from younger generations, feel overwhelmed and left behind by the swift arrival of new tools. Survey data from WalkMe and Opinium indicates that 71% of UK office workers feel new AI tools are being introduced faster than they can learn to use them, while nearly half report feeling more worried than excited about AI at work.

Behl calls on organisations to focus on employee experience and support, warning that "digital adoption isn't just a nice-to-have – it's now essential to realising AI's full value." Ensuring that employees are comfortable and proficient with new tools is crucial to embedding AI successfully and mitigating risks associated with rapid technological change.

Success isn't measured by innovation alone, but responsible integration

As AI matures, its appreciation day serves as a timely reminder: success is not measured by technological innovation alone, but by an organisation's ability to integrate AI responsibly, support its workforce, and safeguard against new risks. The coming years will likely see even more transformative opportunities - and challenges - as businesses seek to balance AI's promise with prudent governance and a focus on human-centred values.