RESEARCH · RESEARCH · #2306
Google, Temasek and Bain report: generative AI used by 243M; Southeast Asia digital economy to hit $368B in 2026
The 11th e-Conomy SEA report from Google, Temasek and Bain & Company finds generative AI is now used daily by about 243 million people in Southeast Asia and projects the region's digital economy will grow 17% YoY to $368 billion in GMV in 2026, on track to exceed $1 trillion by 2035. The report forecasts a 60-fold rise in regional AI usage by 2030, highlights rising trust and demand for agentic commerce, and calls for tripling data center capacity, stricter model/energy efficiency, and unified regional governance (including ASEAN DEFA) to sustain growth.
KEY POINTS
- The 11th e-Conomy SEA report from Google, Temasek and Bain & Company finds generative AI is now used daily by about 243 million people in Southeast Asia and projects the region's digital economy will grow 17% YoY to $368 billion in GMV in 2026, on track to exceed $1 trillion by 2035.
- The report forecasts a 60-fold rise in regional AI usage by 2030, highlights rising trust and demand for agentic commerce, and calls for tripling data center capacity, stricter model/energy efficiency, and unified regional governance (including ASEAN DEFA) to sustain growth.
- The findings quantify how rapidly generative AI is becoming core to Southeast Asia's consumer platforms and set concrete infrastructure, governance, and investment benchmarks that will shape regional tech and economic policy.
WHY IT MATTERS
The findings quantify how rapidly generative AI is becoming core to Southeast Asia's consumer platforms and set concrete infrastructure, governance, and investment benchmarks that will shape regional tech and economic policy.