Planning smarter in Asia: how AI is revolutionizing demand forecasting
As AI transforms industries across Asia, demand planning is emerging as a critical area of innovation. Faster forecasts, real-time scenario modeling, and agile responsiveness are no longer optional—they’re essential.
With extensive experience deploying connected planning across Asian markets, VISEO has witnessed organizations shift from reactive workflows to strategic, AI-powered demand optimization.
Speed: a necessity in dynamic Asian markets
Asian supply chains face regulatory shifts, fast-evolving consumer trends, and increased volatility. Forecasting processes that span days are already obsolete by implementation.
Leading firms are embracing AI-enabled planning platforms—not as a buzzword, but as a business imperative. With integrated machine learning and real-time external signals, they can now run demand scenarios across Southeast Asia in hours, not days—detecting shifts early and acting fast.
Data-backed movement: IDC & Gartner Insights
IDC Asia-Pacific forecasting AI momentum
- AI spending across Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at a 28.9% CAGR, from 2022 and reaching $90.7 billion by 2027.
- Meanwhile, AI and GenAI investments in the region are expected to hit $175 billion by 2028, growing at a 33.6% CAGR.
- By 2027, 80% of APeJ (Asia/Pacific excluding Japan) business leaders expect their GenAI initiatives to achieve successful outcomes.
Gartner’s supply chain AI projections
- Gartner estimates that by 2028, 25% of KPI reporting in supply chains will be driven by Generative AI models.
- They also predict that by then, 95% of data-driven decisions will be at least partially automated, while today only around 10% of CEOs claim their business uses AI strategically—and only 9% of tech leaders say their organization has a clearly defined AI vision.
These statistics underscore not just the momentum behind AI investment in Asia, but also the urgency for organizations to align technology with clear strategic goals.
Strategic clarity trumps technology hype
Despite widespread enthusiasm for AI, many organizations still lack clarity about their goals—whether that’s improving accuracy, responsiveness, or visibility.
Without defined objectives and a robust data infrastructure, AI becomes an opaque “black box,” undermining trust and adoption.
At VISEO, we prioritize aligning AI projects with measurable business outcomes. By emphasizing explainability and dashboard transparency, we help build trust in AI outputs, empowering planners to act confidently.
Data integrity: the critical differentiator
AI’s power hinges on the quality of underlying data. Yet many Asian companies patch systems with fragmented Excel workarounds, limiting effectiveness.
We advocate treating supply chain data as a strategic asset, bolstered by governance, quality tools, and dedicated roles like “Head of Supply Chain Data Strategy.” This foundation is vital to scale AI effectively.
From reactive to proactive: shaping demand in Asia
Top-tier organizations in Asia don’t settle for forecasting—they shape demand. By integrating external signals, automated pattern recognition, and cross-functional alignment, they build agile, customer-centric, and resilient planning infrastructures.
Tools like Anaplan’s connected planning ecosystem, including generative AI-powered CoPlanner and OpenML, enable this evolution—empowering regional teams with flexible, data-rich forecasting capabilities.
Execution over Experimentation
Pilot projects are only the beginning. True value comes when data, process, technology, and strategy align end-to-end.
VISEO specializes in guiding organizations from pilot to production—embedding governance, transparency, and regional customization to drive scalable, value-generating AI deployment.