PLACING HUMANS AT THE CORE: AI-DRIVEN PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS IN ASIAN ORGANISATIONS

This study explores the role of human-centric Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing organisational productivity across diverse Asian contexts. As AI technologies become integral to the digital transformation of workplaces, there is a growing emphasis on deploying AI systems that augment human capabilities while ensuring ethical, inclusive, and socially responsible outcomes. This study investigates how organisations in Asia—specifically, Singapore, South Korea, India, Japan, and China—integrate human-centric AI principles to drive productivity improvements. Employing a qualitative comparative case study methodology, data from organisational documents, expert interviews, and productivity reports were thematically analysed from various secondary sources to uncover patterns and challenges in human-AI collaboration across diverse sociocultural contexts. The findings reveal that organisations adopting transparent and inclusive AI governance, such as Singapore’s multi-stakeholder frameworks and South Korea’s public-private partnerships, demonstrate significant efficiency and workforce satisfaction gains. Conversely, centralised governance models, such as China’s, emphasise social stability but reveal potential tensions surrounding employee participation in AI oversight. India’s grassroots-driven AI applications illustrate how contextualised, human-centric AI can optimise productivity in underserved sectors. Japan’s integration of AI governance with social welfare underscores ethical concerns unique to ageing societies. This study highlights key productivity benefits, including task automation, decision-making acceleration, and innovation facilitation. However, challenges persist, notably workforce digital skill gaps, infrastructural limitations, and ethical governance complexities. This study advocates for culturally sensitive adaptive governance, continuous digital literacy investment, and participatory change management to ensure that AI technologies augment rather than replace human potential. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and organisational leaders seeking to harness human-centric AI to sustainably boost productivity while safeguarding ethical standards in Asia’s pluralistic workplaces.