Agoda Releases AI Developer Report 2026: Agentic AI Adoption Outpaces Enterprise Readiness Across Southeast Asia and India

• 53% of surveyed developers now have AI agents in production or broad use, but only 38% consider their codebase ready for full autonomy.
• Cost is now the top barrier to broader AI adoption, cited by 28% of developers as the primary obstacle to wider AI agent use.
• 70% expect AI agents to handle most development work within three years, though 79% still require human approval for production deployment.

SINGAPORE, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital travel platform Agoda has released a new study showing that software developers across Southeast Asia and India are rapidly transitioning from using AI assistants for individual tasks to deploying autonomous AI agents across the software-development lifecycle.

The Agoda AI Developer Report 2026 explores how this transition is reshaping the way developers work, how organizations manage costs, and where human accountability sits.

Drawing on extensive input from the developer community across Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and India, the report examines the opportunities and challenges shaping AI's next phase across these markets.

AI is delivering more value, but developers still verify the output

Developers are experiencing greater productivity gains from AI. More than half (55%) now save at least seven hours each week, compared with 18% in 2025. Reported code usability has also improved, with 62% saying AI-generated code is usable often or almost always without major changes.

AI is also being used more broadly across development work, including code review, architecture, debugging, learning, and documentation. Yet human judgment remains essential: 86% of respondents still review or validate AI-generated outputs always or most of the time.

Agents are arriving fast, but cost is holding back wider adoption

More than half (53%) of respondents say AI agents are already used in selected production workflows or broadly across their organization. However, only 38% describe their codebase as mostly or fully ready for a fully autonomous agent.

Cost is the primary barrier to wider adoption, cited by 28% of respondents, ahead of integration complexity (24%) and lack of governance (19%). The report finds that AI costs extend beyond model calls to include the work needed to design, integrate, review, and validate agents. Four in five respondents said they are currently working under some degree of AI usage limits, such as token quotas, usage caps, or budget restrictions.

Autonomy is growing, while accountability remains human

Developers are open to granting AI agents more autonomy for lower-risk, reversible work such as documentation. But as work moves closer to production, the demand for human oversight rises: 79% report requiring human approval for production deployment.

AI is also changing the developer's role. System architecture and design, AI literacy, and agent orchestration are emerging as future skills. The transition is uneven, however: 49% of junior developers report feeling less secure about their future career prospects, compared with 17% of CTO and VP Engineering respondents.

Idan Zalzberg, Chief Technology Officer at Agoda, shared, "Artificial intelligence is reshaping how developers across Southeast Asia and India build, learn, and collaborate. What began as a way to speed up individual tasks is becoming a broader change in how software is built. Across industries, developers are seeing stronger productivity gains and are beginning to use agents across more of the development lifecycle. But greater capability brings new responsibilities. The real cost is not simply the model call. It is the work required to make AI trustworthy in production. The organizations that will excel in this next phase will be the ones that manage cost carefully, build the right safeguards, and keep human judgment where it matters most."

The study was commissioned by Agoda and conducted in partnership with Macramé Consulting. As a digital travel and technology company in the region, Agoda is committed to supporting local technology talent, fostering innovation, and sharing insights that help developers and organizations build responsible AI practices.

Agoda's commitment to innovation extends beyond AI, offering over 6 million holiday properties, more than 130,000 flight routes, and over 300,000 activities, all of which can be combined in the same booking. 

For more information and to download the free report, visit apacdeveloperreport.com. 

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Agoda Releases AI Developer Report 2026: Agentic AI Adoption Outpaces Enterprise Readiness Across Southeast Asia and India

HONG KONG, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Payment Asia Group ("Payment Asia" or "the Group") today announced the appointment of Hong Kong professional basketball player Adam Xu as Special Advisor to the Chairman's Office. Xu will support strategic initiatives while continuing his playing career with WINLING Basketball Club, bringing together his experience in professional sports, business and cross-border environments.

Xu, a multiple-time winner of the Hong Kong Basketball League (Men's Division A1) championship, has recently returned to WINLING Basketball Club, where he played earlier in his career and laid the foundation for his professional journey. He returns with nearly a decade of additional professional experience and a clear intention to help the club compete for championships.

Alongside his professional basketball career, Xu will support the Chairman's Office of Payment Asia on strategic initiatives, leadership development and talent engagement. He will also learn the Group's operating businesses and explore where his background in sport, business and international relationships can contribute to partnerships and community programs.

A Career Built Across Basketball and Business

"Xu has developed many of the qualities that define successful athletes, including discipline, resilience, accountability and the ability to perform under pressure," said Kenneth Lai, Founder and Chairman of Payment Asia Group. "These are strengths that are equally valuable in business. His athlete mentality will bring a valuable perspective to our organization and strengthen our culture of performance, teamwork and continuous improvement. We look forward to seeing him apply these strengths both internally and externally as he contributes to our people, partnerships and strategic growth."

"WINLING is where my professional career started, and I'm coming back with nearly ten more years of experience. I still want to compete and help the team win," said Xu. "At the same time, joining Payment Asia allows me to build on my business background while continuing my playing career. I'm not arriving as a fintech expert. I'm here to learn the business, contribute and earn my place."

Continuing to Compete While Building for the Long Term

Before turning professional at 24, Xu studied business at New York University, where he played varsity basketball and was named to the Dean's List. He subsequently worked as an analyst at a consulting firm and in commercial real estate in New York. His decision to leave that path to pursue basketball in Asia began a professional playing career that has included four Hong Kong Basketball League (Men's Division A1) championships, an ASEAN Basketball League title and two Asian Games appearances for Hong Kong.

Xu's appointment does not mark a move away from basketball. He will remain an active player while developing his business experience at Payment Asia. He is particularly interested in cross-border business, investment and how athletes can make informed decisions about their careers and finances. His approach reflects the Group's commitment to learning, talent development and creating opportunities for people with different professional backgrounds.

About Payment Asia Group

Established in 1999 and based in Hong Kong, Payment Asia Group is a leading e-payment technology and e-commerce management company specializing in offering a secure and prompt payment processing network to local and global businesses. The Group also invests in and operates several fintech companies, building a diversified ecosystem spanning digital payments, asset management, trust, lending, and other financial services. Driven by professionalism, dedication, and innovation, Payment Asia aspires to grow together with our clients and shape the future together. For more information, please visit: https://paymentasia.com/.

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Payment Asia Group Appoints Hong Kong Professional Basketball Player Adam Xu as Special Advisor to the Chairman's Office