APAC sets pace in global workplace digital transformation

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The Asia Pacific (APAC) region is leading global trends for digital transformation in the workplace, outpacing other regions by a country mile in several metrics.
According to a report by Zoho, APAC is moving fast toward workplace digital transformation, leaning on emerging technologies. The report confirmed that APAC is ahead of the global average of 62.3% for digital maturing, scoring an impressive 66.35% across the board.
Per the report, APAC workplaces are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) in droves, with Zoho tagging adoption rates at 54% in 2024. APAC's AI adoption figures almost double the global average, powered by rising use cases in customer care, coding, automation and personalization services.
Outside of generative AI, APAC workplaces are showing an increasing appetite for novel cybersecurity solutions as an added layer of security. A close look at the trends reveals a spike in the use of multi-factor authentication tools and a wave of cybersecurity training at 40% and 44% respectively.
Compared to the global average, APAC's cybersecurity adoption rates are above its peers, recording impressive figures in remote work policies. Security-wise, APAC continues to blaze a trail with the rise of access controls based on employee roles and password managers.
Incident reporting in APAC workplaces lags behind the global average, triggering a cause for concern in overall security standards.
Another surging area of APAC's workplace digitization is in the area of collaborative tools like team chat apps and internal request management tools at 72% and 56% respectively. However, Zoho's report identified chinks in APAC's armor, highlighting unsatisfactory numbers in structured document collaboration at only 32%.
A bird's eye view reveals that APAC workplaces still have significant room for improvement despite their impressive metrics.
Heightened investment will birth even higher metrics for APAC
The report notes that an investment in digital transformation will radically improve APAC's workplaces in the coming years. While AI and cybersecurity standards are leading the trend, experts predict increased blockchain use cases for security and automation in the workplace.
China and Vietnam are increasing the size of their investment in blockchain for payments while Hong Kong is broadening Web3 use cases. Hong Kong and the rest of Southeast Asia will be the biggest needle movers for workplace digitization with emerging technologies.
Malaysia's political party uses blockchain for internal voting amid concerns
Malaysia's Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) party has turned to blockchain to elect officials to run its affairs for the next three years. The recently concluded internal party election is the first time the PKR has turned to blockchain for its voting process. While the move garnered praise from several quarters, controversy trailed the voting process over claims of manipulation and sabotage.
However, Tuaran PKR division chief Razeef Rakimin defended the party's decision to use a blockchain-based voting system. Rakimin admitted that the application of blockchain in the internal voting process may not have been seamless, but several silver linings are to be gleaned.
The party chieftain notes that blockchain's security and immutability features set it apart from traditional voting systems, while the prospect of smart contract automation puts it ahead of the curve.
'Of course, there will be some shortcomings as it's a new system,' said Rakimin. 'However, for a system that has strong security like blockchain, it is almost impossible to be breached.'
Rakimin noted that claims of vote sabotage stem from the discrepancies associated with poll results for division chiefs and deputies. Jarring poll inconsistencies have raised eyebrows, while critics are taking swipes at the entire process.
'For example, in Team A, the division chief candidate received 700 votes, while the deputy and committee members got between 1,400 and 1,600 votes,' said Rakimin. 'But for Team B, the division chief received 1,500 votes while the deputy and others only received between 600 and 800 votes.'
A handful of prominent party officials lost their seats in the voting process, amplifying the criticism of the entire process. Official poll results have not yet been published, with Rakimin noting that the party's central leadership council will convene to measure the weight of the irregularity and recommend the next steps.
Despite the lapses in the inaugural attempt at blockchain-based voting, Rakimin argued that the process was seamless, leaving room for improvement.
Malaysia is integrating emerging technologies into its economy
While blockchain-based voting had a shaky start in Malaysia, use cases in finance are off to a flying start. Malaysia's central bank is exploring tokenization for on-chain settlement while leaning on blockchain to stifle corruption.
Furthermore, the Southeast Asian country is advancing its blockchain ambitions with nationwide policies to promote adoption. In one impressive use case, the country is exploring issuing halal certificates on blockchain to fight fraud and counterfeit products.
In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to
integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek's coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI .
Watch: Importance of digitalization for enterprises
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