Southeast Asian users report greater trust in AI assistants
The 2026 e-Conomy SEA report also found that 80% of online sellers intend to increase their use of AI over the next 12 months.
Confidence in AI assistants has increased among Southeast Asian users, according to the 2026 e-Conomy SEA report from Google, Temasek and Bain & Company. It found that 62% trusted AI more than a year earlier.
Another finding showed that 62% considered AI responses more accurate and higher in quality, while 56% regarded its record of performing tasks and making decisions as acceptable. The annual report expanded its coverage to include AI-related economic activity.
Shopping was a prominent area of adoption. Among buyers of children's products, 70% said they used AI to find and purchase goods, compared with 35% for luxury and branded products, the lowest share. Price comparisons followed by immediate purchases were tasks that 75% were willing to delegate to AI agents; scheduling appointments followed at 59%.
The report described AI applications across e-commerce, travel, online media, delivery and finance. These included product discovery, trip planning, personalised content, route management and credit assessment. It said AI-driven personalisation increased engagement with online media by 10–20%.
For the region's AI ecosystem, the report identified four priorities: sustainable adoption of AI agents, infrastructure expansion, policies governing energy use and a framework for digital trade agreements within ASEAN.
