Agentic AI Workforce Arrives
Asia Pacific and Japan are accelerating into a defining leadership role in agentic artificial intelligence, as enterprises move decisively from pilot projects to scaled deployment. People are moving from performing tasks to supervising systems. AI agents will think, robots will execute, and employees will lead and innovate, according to new findings from UiPath.
The Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region is becoming a developer and exporter of AI innovation rather than a mere adopter of imported technologies. Enterprise AI spending in the region is expected to nearly double, from $90 billion in 2025 to $176 billion by 2028, the authors of the report note.
UiPath is an intelligent automation platform that uses software robots to automate repetitive tasks and complex workflows, founded in Bucharest, Romania.
Global Influcence
India’s nearly 2,000 Global Capability Centers are transforming into R&D powerhouses, while Southeast Asian markets such as Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia are serving as agile testbeds for commercial AI solutions.
Meanwhile, semiconductor leadership in Taiwan, strong R&D infrastructure in Japan, and a deep patent base in China provide the foundation for global influence.
Investors Demand Performance and Rapid ROI
More than 50 percent of APJ organizations are reallocating budgets to AI, with nearly one-third already committed to dedicated funding plans for AI agents. C-suite leaders now expect a two- to four-times return on investment within 12 to 18 months, driving tighter governance and value accountability across the AI lifecycle.
Agentic AI’s ability to reason, plan, and self-execute workflows is expanding its impact beyond cost reduction. UiPath highlights that banks can automate loan and claims processes to free up employee capacity for revenue-generating activities such as cross-selling and personalized client services.
Manufacturers can deploy agentic AI to optimize dynamic supply chains and unlock new flexible-production business models.
Orchestration Becomes Differentiator
Over 70 percent of organizations in the region believe orchestration will deliver a significant competitive advantage within eighteen months. By coordinating robots, AI agents, and human work in unified workflows, firms can scale automation end-to-end.
UiPath cites Omega Healthcare as an example of how orchestrated correspondent automation has enabled faster, more accurate revenue cycle management at lower cost.
Trust Defines Trajectory of AI Adoption
Data governance, explainability, security, and responsible use are becoming foundational requirements for scaling AI. Governments across APJ are implementing regulatory frameworks to build confidence – from Japan’s innovation-first AI Promotion Act to ASEAN’s regional guide on AI ethics and Australia’s voluntary safety standards.
The core question is shifting from «how fast can we deploy?» to «how can we deploy responsibly?»
Agentic Workforce Arrives
As automation maturity increases, people are moving from performing tasks to supervising systems. AI agents will think, robots will execute, and employees will lead and innovate.
With 70 percent of job skill requirements expected to shift by 2030, employers across APJ are racing to build AI-ready talent that can thrive in «humans-on-the-loop» environments.
APJ Sets the Pace
UiPath concludes that 2026 marks a two-fold transformation: the region becomes both a scaled AI adopter internally and a global exporter of innovation externally.
With capital investment rising, orchestration enabling deployment at scale, and workforce transformation accelerating, APJ is positioned not only to participate in the agentic era but to shape its direction.
