Google, Temasek, and Bain: online spending in SE Asia to rise ~17% YoY to $368B in 2026 despite economic headwinds, as businesses harness AI to spur spending (Gabrielle Ng/Bloomberg) — SkimNews
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- Google, Temasek, and Bain project Southeast Asia's online spending will rise ~17% year-over-year to $368 billion in 2026
- The report credits businesses adopting AI with spurring the spending growth, even as economic headwinds persist across the region
Why it matters: The $368 billion 2026 projection — endorsed jointly by Google, Temasek, and Bain — frames AI as the engine keeping Southeast Asia's digital economy on a ~17% growth trajectory despite macroeconomic pressure, meaning regional businesses that lag on AI-driven commerce risk ceding ground in one of the world's fastest-expanding digital markets.
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