How Asia Is Rising as an AI Superpower

AI innovation no longer flows in one direction. Jeff Walters, who leads the AI topic in Asia Pacific, explains why companies across China, India, and Southeast Asia are moving at speed—and in some cases pulling ahead. For CEOs, the real differentiator isn’t geography. It’s leadership ambition, organizational change, and the willingness to rethink knowledge work from the ground up. Learn more: Jeff Walters, Managing Director & Senior Partner, AI at Work: Is Asia Pacific Leading the Way? The Widening AI Value Gap, Latest Thinking on AI, Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:59 AI Evolution Across Asia 03:15 Factors Driving AI Adoption in Asia 04:20 How Do AI Attitudes Differ Globally? 06:00 CEOs’ Priorities to Unlock Value from AI 08:45 Asia’s AI Role vs. Silicon Valley 10:03 Information Asymmetry in AI: East vs. West 10:58 What to Learn from Asia’s AI Ecosystems 11:49 Which Asian Sectors Are Deploying AI Fastest? 13:36 What Are Dark Factories–and Why Do They Matter? 14:04 Who Will Lead AI Transformation over the Next Decade? 15:35 Why Is AI Adoption Slower in Some Asia Pacific Markets? 16:26 Asia Pacific Innovation by Region 17:30 Which Sectors Lead AI Transformation? 19:52 What Steps Should Leaders Take to Accelerate AI Impact? 21:47 The "Now What" 22:35 Outro (edited)

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How Asia Is Rising as an AI Superpower is an episode from The So What from BCG by Boston Consulting Group BCG.

This episode is 22:52 long.

This episode was published on Mar 25, 2026.

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