The first Asia Pacific SMB Summit organised by Zoom Communications, Inc (Zoom) wrapped up recently with a clear message — artificial intelligence is no longer out of reach for small and medium businesses (SMBs).
The virtual event brought to life how AI is fast becoming a critical tool for productivity, efficiency and growth across the region.
Speaking at the summit, William Smith, Zoom’s Head of SMB for Asia, said that many businesses in the region are now recognising the value of AI, even without large IT teams or complex infrastructure.
He referenced IDC projections that by 2027, 50% of SMBs in Asia Pacific will have reallocated IT budgets to integrate AI into their operations. “Whether it is to increase productivity, streamline operations or enhance customer engagement, AI can empower SMBs to do more with less effort,” said Smith.
Beth Cananzi, Product Marketing Manager for SMB Go-To-Market at Zoom, highlighted features available through the company’s AI Companion — a digital assistant offered at no extra cost to eligible paid users.
These include meeting summaries, voicemail task detection and an upcoming face-to-face meeting recorder, aimed at helping SMBs reduce manual workloads and improve customer responsiveness.
Cananzi also reiterated Zoom’s commitment to responsible AI, with data privacy and user control built into the platform’s design.
Customer stories shared during the event illustrated how AI is already delivering results for businesses of varying sizes and industries.
AVPN, a pan-Asian network for social investors, said AI-enabled tools such as Zoom’s meeting assistant have made remote collaboration more seamless and productive. Brisbane-based agency Digital 6 reported a 50% improvement in lead qualification time and a near six-fold jump in revenue after adopting AI to automate administrative tasks and enhance client interactions.
Additional case studies came from South Korea and India. Boomco Communication credited Zoom’s bundled AI tools for smoother communication and faster onboarding, while UrbanPro, one of India’s largest online learning platforms, said automation features have allowed it to scale daily virtual classes with minimal manual input.
Both companies pointed to cost-effectiveness and ease of use as key reasons behind their adoption of AI-powered solutions.