India Leads Asia-Pacific in Personal AI Agent Adoption

MUMBAI — India has emerged as the most receptive market for "agentic" artificial intelligence in the Asia-Pacific region, with 60% of consumers expressing interest in creating their own personal AI agents. According to the Adobe 2026 AI and Digital Trends Report released this week, Indian users are outpacing their international peers in embracing AI-driven digital experiences, signaling a fundamental transformation in how the country shops, interacts with brands, and manages daily tasks.

The report, which surveyed over 7,000 consumers and business leaders globally, positions India as a crucial growth market in the global AI economy. While consumers are racing to adopt these technologies, the data also reveals a significant gap between consumer enthusiasm and the pace of enterprise implementation.

AI Becoming Central to Consumer Journeys

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from a novelty tool to a core component of the Indian consumer’s buying journey. The research indicates that 65% of Indian respondents already utilize AI tools to receive personalized product recommendations, while 60% rely on AI-powered systems for instant customer support.

Furthermore, Indian consumers show a high degree of comfort with advanced AI interactions:

• Brand Engagement: 55% of consumers said they would interact with a brand’s AI agent if offered.

• Agent Autonomy: 58% are comfortable with AI systems interacting directly with other AI systems on their behalf.

• Proxy Communication: 61% are willing to allow an AI agent to communicate with a company’s human representative for customer service or transactions.

• Virtual Concierge: 62% of respondents expressed openness to shopping through virtual AI concierge systems.

"India is emerging as one of the most receptive markets for agentic AI in Asia-Pacific, creating new opportunities for brands to deliver more personalized and effective customer experiences," said Anindita Veluri, Director of Marketing at Adobe India.

The Business Implementation Gap

Despite the strong consumer appetite, the Adobe report highlights that businesses are struggling to match the pace of adoption. Only a small fraction of Indian companies have successfully integrated agentic AI at scale. According to the findings, only 10% of brands have deployed AI agents for customer support, and a mere 7% have scaled AI deployment for marketing content creation.

Executive leadership cited several systemic hurdles preventing widespread implementation:

• Data Challenges: 69% of businesses identified poor data integration and quality as their primary obstacle.

• Talent Scarcity: 65% pointed to a lack of skilled professionals and talent shortages.

• ROI Uncertainty: 62% reported that demonstrating a clear return on investment remains a major concern for stakeholders.

Why It Matters

The findings represent a pivotal moment for the Indian digital economy. While consumers are clearly signaling a preference for AI-driven convenience and personalization, the "execution gap" suggests that brands failing to build robust data and governance foundations risk losing market share to more agile competitors. As consumers increasingly prioritize trust, transparency, and the ability to switch to human support, businesses that can successfully marry efficiency with "human-centric" AI design are likely to dominate the next phase of e-commerce and digital engagement.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Consumer Interest: 60% of Indians interested in creating a personal AI agent, the highest in the APAC region.

• Current Usage: 65% use AI for product recommendations, and 60% use it for customer support.

• Barriers to Scale: 69% of businesses cite data quality issues; 65% cite talent gaps.

• User Preference: 21% of consumers demand clear labelling when interacting with AI systems.

FAQ

What is "agentic AI"?

Agentic AI refers to systems that do more than just answer queries; they interpret user intent, make autonomous decisions, and perform actions on behalf of the user, such as completing transactions or communicating with other AI agents.

Why are Indian consumers more willing to use AI than those in other regions?

The report suggests India has a high readiness to experiment with new digital tools. With 26% of Indian respondents showing strong confidence in adopting emerging technologies, there is a unique cultural and demographic openness to digital-first solutions.

What do consumers want most when interacting with AI?

Trust and transparency are paramount. Over 60% of consumers stated they would stop engaging with a brand if they discovered they had been interacting with an AI when they expected a human. Clear labelling of AI interactions and the ability to reach a human representative at any time remain critical requirements.

Source: Adobe 2026 AI and Digital Trends Report, Financial Express, BestMediaInfo