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Special ── 2026-10-23

KPMG: Asia Pacific firms shift to building autonomous AI agents

KPMG's survey of 540 Asia Pacific executives finds most firms now building autonomous AI agents

What changes

According to KPMG, AI use among Asia Pacific (ASPAC) companies has entered a new phase. Between Q2 and Q3 2026, most companies moved from scaling AI agents across multiple functions to building autonomous AI agents. KPMG describes these as agents that can initiate actions and coordinate independently.

For leaders in management and HR, this means AI is no longer just a tool to roll out. It becomes something whose authority and accountability must be designed. KPMG reports that 36 percent of ASPAC firms, the highest response, say C-suite executives should be held accountable for business decisions informed or executed using AI outputs, up from 26 percent last quarter. On the people side, firms are redesigning roles and introducing "AI agent shadowing" programs, in which employees observe experts working with agents.

Why it matters

KPMG finds that confidence in AI remains high but is slipping. 73 percent of ASPAC companies are confident of future-proofing their organizations' AI trajectory, a 7 percent decrease from three months ago. KPMG suggests this could mean early excitement is fading as companies start facing the bills: power costs, talent availability, and shifting rules on data and chips across jurisdictions.

Yet investment continues. According to KPMG, 71 percent of companies in the region say AI will remain a top investment priority over the next 12 months, even if a recession hits. As firms deploy more autonomous AI, managing cost and risk becomes pressing. Decisions on governance and talent made now are likely to shape results.

What the report says

KPMG's Q3 AI Pulse reports wider deployment of agentic AI, meaning AI that carries out tasks autonomously. 67 percent of ASPAC companies have deployed agentic AI in technology or IT, compared with 69 percent globally. Deployment reaches 55 percent in operations and 46 percent in marketing and sales. In China, 81 percent of companies have deployed agentic AI in technology or IT, the most among surveyed countries.

KPMG also reports that 27 percent of ASPAC companies have embedded AI into daily workflows, above the global average of 22 percent and last quarter's ASPAC average of 20 percent. On risk, 39 percent of ASPAC companies identified high-risk use cases where autonomous agent decision-making is not allowed. An equal share treat AI agents as augmented support for employees and provide workforce training.

Challenges remain. According to KPMG, technical skill gaps and AI cost and economic literacy skills are the biggest challenges in deploying AI agents, each affecting over 4 in 10 companies in the region. Separately, 39 percent of ASPAC respondents say they cannot use AI effectively due to insufficient staff expertise, compared with 35 percent globally.

Who and what scope

The report was published by KPMG on 20 October 2026 under the title "Asia Pacific firms are transitioning from scaling to building autonomous AI agents." It draws on KPMG's Q3 AI Pulse survey.

According to KPMG, the survey covers more than 2,100 senior executives from 20 countries. Of these, 540 come from six key ASPAC markets: Australia, China (including Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan), India, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The report does not give a breakdown by industry.

Why this report

The report is part of a quarterly survey. It tracks what value ASPAC companies are getting from AI, where they invest, what holds them back, and how they use AI agents.

KPMG compares its figures with the previous quarter and with Q1. The central question is where AI use has moved after the scaling phase. The report's title states its answer.

How they studied it

KPMG states that the survey draws on insights from more than 2,100 senior executives in 20 countries, including 540 from six ASPAC markets. Results are presented as percentages and compared with prior quarters and global averages.

The report does not describe when the survey was conducted, the question format, or how respondents were selected. It does not present individual company case studies.

Key points

  1. According to KPMG, most companies have moved from scaling AI agents to building autonomous agents; 67 percent of ASPAC companies have deployed agentic AI in technology or IT.
  2. KPMG finds 39 percent of ASPAC firms have identified high-risk use cases where autonomous agent decision-making is not allowed, and 36 percent now say the C-suite is accountable for AI-informed decisions.
  3. Per KPMG, technical skill gaps and AI cost and economic literacy each hold back over 4 in 10 ASPAC firms, and 39 percent cite insufficient staff expertise.

Conclusion

KPMG's survey shows ASPAC companies moving into building autonomous AI agents. It also shows slipping confidence, talent shortages, and persistent cost and risk concerns. For leaders, the questions now are who is accountable and how to prepare the workforce.

Quotes and sources

“Between Q2 and Q3, most companies have moved from scaling AI agents across multiple functions to building autonomous AI agents that can initiate actions and coordinate independently.”
── KPMG, 2026-10-20
“about 4 in 10 (39 percent) ASPAC companies identified high-risk use cases where autonomous agent decision-making is not allowed.”
── KPMG, 2026-10-20
“36 percent (the highest response) ASPAC firms say that C-suite executives are to be held accountable.”
── KPMG, 2026-10-20
“39 percent of respondents in ASPAC say they are unable to use AI effectively due to insufficient staff expertise, compared to 35 percent globally.”
── KPMG, 2026-10-20

Source articles

Written by AI (Claude) from the report and its coverage, then checked by Jev (TypeSafe's judgement model), a Gemini fact-check and a verbatim check of every quote.