Singaporeans are increasingly embracing agentic artificial intelligence (AI) – systems that can interpret intent, make decisions and act autonomously – according to new research by Adobe.

Almost one in five consumers in Singapore (18 per cent) have used agentic AI, with another 31 per cent expecting to adopt it within the next year, Adobe’s study of more than 500 respondents found.

The findings, published in From Assistants to Agents: The AI Evolution in Singapore, highlight a growing shift in consumer behaviour that is reshaping how people shop, create and work.

From passive tools to proactive agents

Adobe’s survey shows that 37 per cent of Singaporeans are now regular users of AI assistants, and the figure is set to climb further as three in four respondents say they want to use AI more as its capabilities expand.

While summarising materials remains a common task, AI assistants are increasingly being used to replace traditional search, as well as to guide consumers on where to shop and what to buy.

“Singapore is at the forefront of the agentic AI revolution in Southeast Asia,” said Shashank Sharma, Senior Director, Digital Experience, Southeast Asia and Korea, Adobe. “What we’re seeing is a fundamental shift from passive AI assistance to something more proactive, where consumers are starting to expect AI that takes meaningful action on their behalf.”

Expanding into shopping, travel and finance

AI usage is spreading across different aspects of daily life. Adobe’s report shows 41 per cent of Singaporeans use AI for travel planning, 37 per cent for online shopping, and 29 per cent for banking.

For businesses, the shift is opening new ways to engage consumers. Adobe highlighted its Brand Concierge platform, which enables companies to create AI agents that guide users through personalised shopping journeys, as an example of how agentic AI can drive one-to-one customer interactions.

Next wave of digital experiences

Interest in agentic AI is especially strong among those who have not yet tried it. Once explained, more than nine in 10 respondents said they would use such systems to complete tasks like scheduling appointments or placing orders, while 90 per cent expressed interest in voice assistants that can act on their behalf.

“The appetite for AI agents that can complete tasks, make decisions, and streamline daily activities signals a new era of digital experiences,” Mr Sharma said. “For businesses in this region, this represents both an opportunity and an imperative to reimagine how they engage with customers through AI-powered touchpoints that deliver genuine value and convenience.”

Adobe said it is also building agentic AI into its core products. In Adobe Acrobat, an upcoming AI Assistant feature will allow users to create custom agents, while Photoshop’s new Actions panel (beta) suggests context-aware edits to speed up creative workflows.

The survey was conducted in March 2025 and tracked Singaporeans’ adoption of AI-powered and automated tools, offering insights into the growing role of AI in consumer decision-making.