Many online sellers in Southeast Asia (SEA) are aware of artificial intelligence (AI), but a new study shows that they need more help to fully use the technology in their businesses.
Lazada’s survey, titled “Bridging the AI Gap: Online Seller Perceptions and Adoption Trends in SEA,” asked 1,214 e-commerce sellers across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam about their use of AI. The study, conducted by research firm Kantar, found that 68% of sellers are aware of AI. However, only 37% actually use it to help increase sales.
Sellers believe that AI is part of nearly half (47%) of their operations, but the numbers show otherwise, revealing a clear gap between perception and actual use.
“The findings from our research reveal a fascinating gap in Southeast Asia’s e-commerce ecosystem,” said James Dong, CEO of Lazada Group. “While most sellers understand AI’s transformative potential, many are still navigating the path from recognition to implementation.”
Unsure of AI’s overall usefulness
Most sellers (89%) believe AI can improve productivity, and 93% agree it can lower costs in the long run. Still, 61% remain unsure about its overall usefulness, and 64% say it is too expensive or time-consuming to implement.
There is also a skills gap. Nearly all sellers (93%) agree it is important to train workers to use AI, but 75% admit that their teams still prefer to use tools they already know.
The level of AI use differs from country to country. Sellers in Indonesia and Vietnam report the highest AI adoption at 42%, followed by Singapore and Thailand at 39%. The study also identified three types of sellers:
AI Adepts – 24% of sellers who have adopted AI in most of their operations.
AI Aspirants – 50% of sellers who use AI in some areas but not all.
AI Agnostics – 26% of sellers who mostly rely on manual processes.
Thailand has the highest number of AI Adepts at 30%, followed by Singapore and Indonesia at 29%. Sellers in Malaysia and the Philippines report lower AI use due to limited infrastructure and internal support.
Despite these challenges, many sellers are actively seeking better AI tools (42%) and more training and support (41%) to close the gap.