SINGAPORE, 20 March 2025 – According to the IDC report, IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Services 2025 Predictions – Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) (APEJ) Implications, by 2026, to move beyond proof of concept for AI-driven business models, 60% of Asia-based Top 1000 (A1000) enterprises will require professional services for readiness and health checks on applications and infrastructure.
The AI race is the new cloud race, and digital infrastructure is the foundation necessary to win the race. IDC research shows that enterprises are investing in building the foundation to scale new AI initiatives. Agile, secure, resilient, and scalable digital infrastructure is the foundational enabler for an enterprise’s data and analytics architecture, which in turn supports effective, high-quality decision-making through enterprise intelligence and decisioning mechanisms.
According to IDC Asia/Pacific Enterprises Services Sourcing Survey, 2024, modernizing core IT infrastructure is the number one IT modernization initiative Asia/Pacific enterprises are planning to undertake in the next 18 months. Additionally, application modernization also continues to rise in priority with 67% of enterprises indicating modernizing legacy applications as a top priority. IDC expects enterprises in Asia/Pacific to seek professional help to assess and make road maps for modernizing core IT investments before scaling new AI initiatives.
This year’s services predictions for APEJ are once again dominated by the influence of AI and generative AI (GenAI), but with more of a focus on driving adoption into production rather than the experimentation observed last year, especially in areas such as skilling, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), data, and application modernization. Below are some of the other key services predictions for the region:
GCCs Expanding from Back Office to Core Client Functions: By 2028, 40% of the A1000 will outsource up to 30% of their engineering, AI, cloud, and other complex technology functions to Global Capability Centers as they deliver an improved CX.
GenAI-Enabled Platforms Accelerating IT Training: Amid widening global IT skills gaps, by 2027 more than 40% of A1000 enterprises will rely on GenAI-enabled training platforms to automate, accelerate, and optimize IT training and skilling outcomes.
ESG Implementation Will Take Longer Than Initially Thought: With an increase in regulation in APEJ, by 2028 more than 50% of A1000 organizations with carbon neutrality goals will seek the help of professional services to meet them due to a lack of internal capabilities.
GenAI Adoption Success Factors: By 2027, without strategic and organizational pivots, frustration with low ROI due to poor planning and misallocated spending will cause 30% of A1000 organizations to reduce GenAI investments.
“Enterprises in Asia Pacific are taking a matured approach to GenAI as they realized that to capitalize on the benefits of AI, there needs to be considerable effort to prepare the organizations from an IT architecture perspective. Consequently, IDC research has indicated a strong preference to work with IT consulting and systems integration service providers to tackle architecture challenges of data, integration, change management, and IT dependencies, says Rijo George Thomas, senior research manager, IT and Business Services Program, IDC Asia/Pacific. “This is positive news for the industry, as enterprises will continue to gravitate towards business and IT service providers with deep focus on driving AI adoption into production rather than the experimentation.”
Each year, IDC releases its top technology predictions at worldwide, regional and country levels through its IDC FutureScape Reports and offers strategic and data-driven insights into what is ahead for the rapidly changing IT industry. These predictions have been used to shape the strategies and business objectives of technology leaders and business executives in the next 1-5 years. All the predictions stated here cover Asia/Pacific implications.
Asia/Pacific Excluding Japan FutureScape Reports come with a complimentary report that provides specific recommendations for tech vendor sales and marketing leaders. Leverage IDC insights to better understand clients’ priorities and enhance your storytelling and go-to market plans, access the IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Services 2025 Predictions — APEJ Implications: Positioning for Success — Opportunities for Tech Sales and Marketing Leaders market presentation here .
For more information about IDC FutureScape and other resources, please visit our regional FutureScape site. For sales inquiries on the IDC FutureScape framework and reports, please contact your IDC account manager or Tessa Rago at trago@idc.com. For media queries, please contact Michael de la Cruz at mdelacruz@idc.com or Miguel Carreon mcarreon@idc.com.
*Asia/Pacific excluding Japan
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About IDC FutureScapes
IDC FutureScape reports are used to shape IT strategy and planning for the enterprise by providing a basic framework for evaluating IT initiatives in terms of their value to business strategy now and in the foreseeable future. IDC’s FutureScapes are comprised of a set of decision imperatives designed to identify a range of pending issues that CIOs and senior technology professionals will confront within a typical five-year business planning cycle.
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About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world’s leading tech media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com/ap. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDCAP and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.