Southeast Asia's digital economy hits $368 billion — and 243 million people have adopted AI in under three years

Southeast Asia's digital economy will reach $368 billion in 2026, up 17% on the year, and is tracking past $1 trillion by 2035 — according to the 11th e-Conomy SEA report from Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, released in Singapore this week. The headline inside the headline is adoption speed: 243 million people — 58% of the region's workforce — have taken up generative AI tools in under three years, four times faster than the mobile internet spread. Online media is the fastest-growing sector, up 22%. 'AI will create significant opportunities for Southeast Asia's economy,' says Temasek's Fock Wai Hoong — the task now is turning everyday use into lasting livelihoods.

SDG 8 · Decent work and economic growth — Mechanism: market force