A new study commissioned by Zoom has revealed the emergence of a growing group of “AI natives” in Asia Pacific (APAC) — individuals aged 18 to 24 who grew up with early exposure to artificial intelligence and are now active users of the technology. This demographic has heightened expectations for AI-powered experiences and is pushing organisations to evolve how they deliver services, both as employers and brands.
As this generation enters the workforce and consumer market with mindsets shaped by AI, businesses must adapt quickly to meet their needs. Zoom’s research suggests that combining AI capabilities with human input will be crucial for companies seeking to build long-term trust and loyalty among this group.
“AI natives in the APAC region have heightened expectations for how AI powers their everyday experiences, both as customers and employees. At the same time, organisations must also recognise that non-AI natives are engaging with these technologies from a different starting point,” said Steve Rafferty, Head of EMEA and APAC at Zoom. “Loyalty in the era of AI will depend on how well and fast organisations can evolve their technology stack to address these differing expectations, and more importantly, embrace an ‘AI-plus-human’ model. This is how organisations will earn trust, drive growth, and future-proof their businesses with this up-and-coming demographic.”
The inaugural study, conducted by Kantar, surveyed 2,551 respondents aged 18 to 45 across eight APAC markets, including Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. It explored how AI natives and their non-AI native counterparts differ in their expectations of customer and employee experiences, how they use AI, and their outlook on its future role in their lives.
Customer experience expectations demand balance between speed and empathy
With customer journeys now spanning multiple channels, AI natives are setting higher standards for customer experience (CX). More than half of all respondents (53%) said it was very or extremely important to be able to switch between channels during an interaction, such as moving from an AI chatbot to a human agent.
While AI natives value the speed and convenience that AI offers, they are also more aware of its shortcomings. The study found that 75% believe businesses should offer AI chatbots or agents to deliver faster service, but 77% still want the option to escalate to a human during interactions. This expectation is shared by non-AI natives (78%), reflecting a common demand for both efficiency and empathy.
The importance of human connection was particularly evident in Taiwan, where 39% of AI natives cited empathy and reassurance as reasons for seeking human support — more than three times the figure among non-AI natives (12%). Many respondents also highlighted a quality gap in AI responses, describing them as “too generic or unhelpful,” which often drives their preference for human intervention in complex situations.
“In the era of agentic AI, organisations must think strategically about where technology fits in the customer journey. It’s not about choosing between people or technology but combining the best of both,” added Rafferty. “When implemented thoughtfully, AI can enhance the quality of self-service, while augmenting human agents’ roles by surfacing context, reducing friction, and enabling them to support customers when more complex issues arise. By bringing together AI efficiency and human empathy, organisations can deliver the elevated customer experience AI natives in APAC now expect and are increasingly demanding.”
AI adoption at work is widespread but expectations differ
The study also shows that AI has become a standard part of working life in APAC, with only 3% of respondents saying they do not use AI at work. While both AI natives and non-AI natives use AI for everyday tasks such as writing, editing, and translation, AI natives are more likely to apply it to higher-level tasks like idea generation and brainstorming. Non-AI natives, by contrast, use AI more for support tasks such as scheduling and data analysis.
A large majority (78%) believe their employers should provide access to AI tools to prepare them for a digital future, with the sentiment strongest in Indonesia (86%). The gap between groups is most pronounced in South Korea, where 90% of AI natives compared to 74% of non-AI natives said such access is important.
However, simply providing access is not enough. AI natives tend to be more critical of the technology, citing concerns beyond accuracy and data privacy. Transparency and ethics are more prominent issues for them, and they are more likely to be frustrated by inefficiencies. Nearly half (42%) said they were frustrated by the amount of manual correction required after using AI tools, compared to 34% of non-AI natives.
They are also more sensitive to inefficiencies caused by poor integration. In Hong Kong, 70% of AI natives said switching between tools slows down their performance, compared to 48% of non-AI natives. Among those who have not yet adopted AI at work, 36% of AI natives said they would be more likely to use it if it were integrated into tools they already use — more than double the 16% among non-AI natives.
These findings point to a need for businesses to adopt tailored approaches to AI implementation. AI natives may be enthusiastic adopters, but they hold the technology to higher standards, expecting reliability, ethical deployment, and seamless integration as the norm. For non-AI natives, organisations should focus on structured onboarding, training, and addressing concerns around data privacy to help them adopt AI confidently and avoid falling behind.
