Zebra Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Enterprises in the APAC Region
Revolutionizing Frontline Operations with Intelligent Automation
According to Tom Bianculli, Chief Technology Officer at Zebra Technologies, who spoke at a recent briefing during Zebra’s 2025 Kickoff event in Perth, Australia, intelligent automation is currently transforming frontline workers’ efficiency. “Elements of our three-pillar strategy have been around for quite some time, but what’s revolutionizing the frontline today is intelligent automation,” Bianculli stated. He emphasized that the company isn’t merely digitizing workflows; instead, they’re integrating wearable technologies with robotic processes, allowing frontline workers to interact with automation in previously unattainable ways.
Real-World Impact of AI Implementation
Concrete examples of enterprise AI transformation are already surfacing, exemplified by Zebra’s collaboration with a notable North American retailer. This solution merges traditional AI with generative AI, facilitating rapid shelf analysis and automatic task generation. Bianculli elaborated, “You snap a picture of a shelf, and within one second, traditional AI identifies all the products on the shelf, spots missing items, and assesses misplaced products. The data is then relayed to a generative AI agent that determines the necessary actions.”
This automated approach has led to remarkable operational advances, including a 25% reduction in the retailer’s staffing needs. When the system identifies out-of-stock items, it automatically generates tasks for the appropriate personnel, thus simplifying what was a formerly cumbersome multi-step manual procedure.
The APAC Region: Leading the Charge in AI Adoption
The Asia Pacific area is swiftly becoming a leader in enterprise AI transformation. Recent research by IBM highlighted that 54% of businesses in APAC expect AI to provide substantial long-term innovation and revenue growth benefits. The investment focus for AI in the region for 2025 is clear:
- 21% aimed at improving customer experiences
- 18% allocated for business process automation
- 16% dedicated to sales automation and customer lifecycle management
Ryan Goh, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific at Zebra Technologies, pointed to tangible implementations already yielding results: “Our e-commerce clients using ring scanners for package scanning have reported significant productivity enhancements over traditional scanning approaches.”
Innovation on the Cutting Edge
Zebra’s strategy for AI deployment includes:
- AI-equipped devices with inherent neural architecture enabling on-device processing
- Multimodal experiences replicating human cognitive skills
- Generative AI agents that optimize task distribution between edge devices and cloud servers
Advancing its efforts in edge computing, Bianculli announced plans to develop on-device language models, particularly tailored for environments where internet access is limited or unavailable. This ensures that AI functionalities remain operational without dependency on connectivity.
Market Variability Across the Region
The journey towards enterprise AI transformation is marked by significant differences across APAC markets. In India, the economic landscape is particularly vibrant, with GDP expected to rise by 6.6% and manufacturing sectors projected to grow by 7% year-on-year. The country displays a robust commitment to AI; a staggering 96% of the organizations surveyed by the World Economic Forum are actively implementing AI initiatives.
Conversely, Japan faces a distinct set of challenges in adopting automation, with only a projected GDP growth of 1.2%. Ryan Goh remarked, “Our views on devices like tablets have evolved. While we previously associated them solely with retail, we’ve observed their unexpected utility in manufacturing and self-service customer solutions in areas like the Bay Area.”
Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Enterprises
According to projections from Gartner, by 2027, 25% of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) will have initiated augmented connected workforce strategies that will significantly accelerate competency development, halving the required training time. Zebra is already paving the path in this regard with its Z word companion utilizing generative AI and large language models, set for pilot testing among select clients in the upcoming second quarter.
Zebra Technologies, with an extensive global presence—over 120 offices spanning 55 countries and more than 10,000 channel partners across 185 nations—is well-positioned to capitalize on the enterprise AI transformation underway in APAC. As the region transitions from AI experimentation to comprehensive deployment, the emphasis remains on delivering practical innovations that lead to measurable business results and enhanced operational efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of implementing enterprise AI?
Implementing enterprise AI can lead to increased efficiency, reduced operational costs, improved customer experience, and enhanced decision-making processes through data-driven insights.
How is AI being utilized in frontline operations?
AI is being employed in frontline operations through automation tools that streamline workflows, improve task allocation, and enable real-time data analysis, enhancing overall productivity.
Why is the Asia Pacific region leading in AI adoption?
The Asia Pacific region’s leadership in AI adoption can be attributed to its high investment rates in technology, a growing commitment among businesses to innovate, and a dynamic market environment that fosters experimentation and implementation.
