Nearly half of corporate board leaders in Asia consider AI the top strategic priority for 2026, surpassing growth objectives and cybersecurity concerns, according to a report by the Diligent Institute.
Specifically, 48% of Asian corporate leaders view AI as the leading strategic priority for their businesses in the coming year.
Amid rising economic and geopolitical uncertainty, nearly half of board leaders in Asia (48%) are prioritizing the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) as their top strategic focus for 2026, Technode Global reported.
This figure is higher than other priorities such as pursuing growth opportunities (45%), managing cybersecurity risks (39%), or addressing geopolitical risks (32%), according to the APAC Governance Outlook 2026 report published in November by the Diligent Institute in collaboration with the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) and the Governance Institute of Australia (GIA).
The report notes that rather than allowing uncertainty to hold them back, many boards are betting on innovation as the path forward.
According to the findings, 57% of organizations in Asia have already deployed AI in one or more operational areas, while 70% believe that digital transformation—including both the risks and opportunities associated with AI—will be the most important topic on board agendas in 2026, followed closely by growth strategy (68%).
By comparison, only 9% prioritize shareholder activism and 13% focus on merger and acquisition (M&A) opportunities, indicating a stronger emphasis on internal transformation rather than external moves.
However, as AI adoption accelerates, organizations face a critical challenge: governance frameworks are struggling to keep pace with the speed of technological deployment.
“In the AI era, the greatest risk does not lie in the technology itself, but in the governance gap. By building strong expertise and maintaining rigorous oversight, organizations can secure a competitive advantage and navigate future uncertainties with confidence,” said Dottie Schindlinger, Executive Director of the Diligent Institute.
Meanwhile, agentic AI—a term referring to systems that operate autonomously on behalf of users—has emerged as a major governance concern.
Among respondents, 86% cited task performance and productivity as the greatest benefits of agentic AI, while 64% identified data quality and privacy concerns as the top risks, and 61% pointed to the lack of governance processes to guide AI decision-making.
Governance professionals increasingly recognize the transformative potential of agentic AI but also acknowledge significant gaps in the ability to manage these systems safely.
DIGITAL CAPABILITY GAPS EMERGE AS THE BIGGEST BARRIER
The root cause lies in a widening digital skills gap: nearly seven in ten respondents (68%) view digital technology skills as a critical development need for boards. However, only 31% mandate AI training for board members, and just 28% recruit directors with AI expertise.
The report also shows that one-third (33%) of respondents are establishing AI committees or task forces, while 37% currently require Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) or Chief Information Officers (CIOs) to attend board meetings to discuss AI-related issues.
When asked how governance processes could be optimized, 72% expressed the need for more time devoted to strategic planning, and 53% wanted greater engagement with external experts.
“In today’s AI-driven market environment, corporate governance has become a mission-critical function with unprecedented levels of risk. To adapt to this new reality, boards must prioritize member education and build sustainable capabilities to develop resilience against technological complexity,” said Terence Quek, Executive Director of the Singapore Institute of Directors.
The Diligent Institute surveyed 187 governance leaders across the Asia–Pacific region from late July 2025 to early September 2025. Respondents included board directors, company secretaries, chief legal officers, chief risk officers, and other governance professionals from public, private, and non-profit organizations across a wide range of sectors.
(Source: vneconomy.vn)