APAC Firms Shift From AI Pilots to Wide Industrial Deployment, Says Deloitte CEO

Deloitte’s Asia-Pacific chief says artificial intelligence is already changing how companies operate, compete and organize their workforces, with the biggest shift coming not just from faster automation but from a broader rethink of business processes. In remarks shared by Bloomberg and in Deloitte research on the enterprise use of AI, the firm argues that companies in the region are moving from experimentation toward wider deployment, especially in manufacturing, customer service and internal operations.

Rob Hillard, Deloitte’s APAC CEO, discussed the impact of AI on corporates across the region in an interview with Bloomberg’s The Asia Trade. That conversation comes as Deloitte has been publishing a series of findings suggesting that AI is moving into day-to-day business use rather than remaining a pilot project. In its 2026 State of AI in the Enterprise report, Deloitte said AI is delivering measurable gains in efficiency and productivity, while a smaller share of companies are using it to fundamentally reimagine their business models.

The firm’s research shows that productivity and efficiency are the most common benefits companies say they are already seeing from AI, while fewer are reporting revenue growth or deep operational reinvention. Deloitte said 66% of organizations reported productivity gains, 53% said AI improved insights and decision-making, and 40% reported cost reductions. At the same time, only about one-third of surveyed organizations said they are using AI to deeply transform products, services or core processes.

Deloitte has also highlighted Asia-Pacific as an early leader in the deployment of physical AI — the combination of AI with physical systems in settings such as factories and industrial operations. In a March paper, the firm said more than half of companies globally reported at least limited use of physical AI, and that figure is expected to rise sharply over the next two years, with APAC leading early implementation. The report said this could reshape smart manufacturing and other industrial sectors by moving AI from software-based tasks into real-world operations.

The broader business case is that AI is no longer only a technology issue; it is becoming a management and workforce issue as well. Deloitte’s research points to changes in organizational design, incentives and labor mix as companies adapt to AI, including some that are already altering the balance between full-time, contract and gig workers. That helps explain why executives across industries are being pushed to make decisions not just about which tools to adopt, but how to redesign workflows, governance and skills development around them.

The topic has also gained urgency because businesses are under pressure to balance speed with accuracy and control. Recent reporting on AI-related errors in professional services has underscored the risks of adopting the technology without strong oversight, reinforcing the need for companies to set clear review processes even as they try to capture efficiency gains. For Deloitte and other advisers, the message to clients in Asia-Pacific is increasingly that AI’s value will depend on how quickly firms can integrate it into strategy, operations and decision-making.