Adobe’s Future of Digital Experiences study says that Indian brands will lead the next wave of innovation in customer experiences around the world as consumers become more aware of new technologies and spend more time in virtual and immersive environments. The study said that both marketers and consumers are eager to use artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI, to help fuel this change in how people experience things.

The global poll of 13,000 consumers and 4,250 marketing and customer experience professionals shows how new technologies affect consumers and businesses. It also shows how living, working, and shopping online are moving to new areas.

Adobe’s Future of Digital Experiences Report says that 53% of Indian consumers and 69% of APAC consumers shop in physical stores today, but that number will drop to 44% and 40%, respectively, in two years. This change will be more noticeable in APAC than in the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa because consumers there expect brands to expand their digital experiences into new forms.

Most Indian (96%) and APAC (91%) consumers want to see videos of goods before they buy them, and almost 91% of Indian consumers and 74% of APAC consumers want brands to offer new ways to interact with virtual and immersive worlds.

Indian brands are planning to respond with new and innovative digital experiences, such as the ability to build virtual products and turn them into real ones (88%), offering digital tokens to trade for virtual and physical goods (85%), virtual/immersive events (87%), and VIP access to virtual influencers and celebrities (86%).

Anindita Veluri, the Marketing Director for Adobe India, talked about the report’s findings. She said, “At Adobe, we think that technology is the co-pilot to creativity.” Marketers are now some of the first people to use cutting-edge technologies like Gen AI. They use their power to push the limits and create amazing experiences.

She added that by combining technology and innovation, people can open new opportunities, make marketers’ jobs easier, and make greater profits. “Looking forward to a future where creativity and technology come together to inspire and connect with people.”

Reports added that the current state of the economy is putting pressure on brands to improve the customer experiences they offer. A deteriorating economic climate has increased the expectations of 82% of Indian consumers, according to the report.

This is especially true for younger consumers, as 70% of APAC Gen Zs say their expectations are higher in a bad economy, compared to 65% worldwide. In a tough economy, APAC consumers also put a high value on trust, ranking it above price and selection. Younger consumers feel this way even more firmly. The study also said that Indian professionals in marketing and customer service already use AI. Nearly 60% of people say AI helps them at work, and 21% call it “a miracle.”

Even more optimistic are marketing and customer experience professionals about new generative AI technologies. Nine out of ten respondents think that generative AI will help them improve the quality and quantity of their work products (95%), boost their creativity (96%), and reach more of the right customers (96%). Strong majorities also think that generative AI will help make customer experiences more personalised (94%) and that it will help find new markets and customer journeys (95%).

Also, Indian consumers know that generative AI can change how they interact with brands. Five out of six people (93%) say it will improve the customer experience, and 93% say it can improve the quality of the goods. Consumers are excited for brands to use generative AI to help them find things online (31%), make experiences more relevant and helpful (32%), and make the material they engage with more creative (26%).

The study also shows that different APAC countries have different points of view. Consumers and marketers in India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand are usually more open to new digital formats, environments, and tools than those in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

This includes 81% of consumers in India, 70% in Malaysia, and 66% in Singapore, who, because brands have access to more data and tools, want more personalised and relevant digital experiences. In contrast, 32% of people in Australia and New Zealand and 13% of people in Japan buy goods.

These numbers show that people all over the country expect brands to give them new and different experiences. For example, 91% of people in India, 87% of people in Singapore and Thailand, and 83% of people in Malaysia expect brands to find new ways to interact with them in virtual or realistic worlds. 62% of Australians and 59% of New Zealanders feel the same way, but only 48% of Japanese people do.

When it comes to how people think generative AI could improve customer experiences or goods, people have different ideas. In Thailand (94%) and India (93%), more than nine out of ten users think that generative AI can improve customer experiences and product quality. In Australia (60%) and New Zealand (67%), this number is closer to six out of ten.

Emerging technology, consumer behaviour, and market developments are frequently covered in Adobe reports. Businesses may find this information useful in determining the direction the digital landscape will take and how to modify their plans accordingly.