Bain & Company vs STX Next

Southeast Asia AI Adoption Booms, Monetization Shifts Beyond Subscriptions

Southeast Asia's generative AI adoption has reached 243 million users in less than three years, according to the annual e-Conomy SEA report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company. Despite rapid adoption, only 1-2% of the population pays for personal AI subscriptions, highlighting a gap. Businesses are monetizing AI through e-commerce, digital advertising, and customer service, with companies like Shopee handling 80% of queries via AI chatbots. The region's digital economy is projected to grow 17% to $368 billion in GMV this year, expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2035. AI is boosting ad click-through rates and conversions, and 75% of users are willing to let AI agents make purchases. However, usage per person remains at 10% of U.S. levels.

• Generative AI adoption in Southeast Asia reached 243 million users in less than three years.
• Only 1-2% of the region's population pays for personal AI subscriptions.
• Southeast Asia's digital economy projected to grow 17% to $368 billion GMV in 2026.

CX Gap Persists After 20 Years Despite Billions Invested

Despite decades of investment in customer experience (CX) programs, a persistent disconnect remains between how companies perceive their CX and how customers actually experience it. Bain & Company's 2005 study found 80% of executives believed they delivered superior CX, while only 8% of customers agreed. Subsequent research by Capgemini (2017) and SAP (2026) shows similar gaps. The article argues that this 'delivery gap' is not a technology problem, but an accountability and culture issue. Root causes include measuring what's easy to report rather than actual experience, decorative feedback loops, and employee experience being deprioritized. As AI-driven CX investment surges, the author warns that automation without cultural and accountability fixes will merely scale the existing disconnect.

• Bain & Company's 2005 survey found 80% of executives believed they delivered superior customer experience, while only 8% of customers agreed.
• Capgemini's 2017 research showed 75% of organizations believed they were customer-centric, but only 30% of consumers agreed.
• SAP's 2026 report found 78% of businesses believed they delivered a connected customer experience, while only 25% of consumers agreed.

Bain's Likelihood to Buy Metric Highlights Brand Trust in B2B

An opinion piece by Cos Mingides discusses Bain & Company's new Likelihood to Buy (LTB) metric for B2B marketing. Bain's research indicates that about 90% of B2B buyers ultimately purchase from a 'Day 1 list' of vendors that immediately come to mind when the buying process begins. True's 'Rule of Three' research adds that buyers typically have no more than three brands on that initial shortlist. Bain's findings suggest that B2B buying is less about formal evaluation and more about elimination of brands not already known or trusted. Being 'better' is not enough; brands must have pre-existing familiarity, trust, and confidence across the entire buying committee, including 'hidden buyers' in procurement, finance, legal, and operations. The article argues that brand activities should be measured by their impact on the likelihood of being chosen, not just awareness.

• Bain & Company has introduced a Likelihood to Buy (LTB) metric for B2B marketing.
• Bain research suggests around 90% of B2B buyers purchase from a 'Day 1 list' of vendors that come to mind at the start of the buying process.
• True's research, 'The Rule of Three in Every Purchase Decision', indicates that B2B buyers typically have no more than three brands on their initial shortlist.

STX Next Publishes New Blog Posts on RAG Architecture and AI-Powered Prototyping

New blog posts added: 'How to Choose the Right RAG Architecture for Enterprise AI' (September 18, 2026) and 'How AI-Powered Prototyping Protects Development Budgets in Data Product Delivery' (September 18, 2026). Also updated: 'Top 10 AI Development Companies for Insurance in Europe [2026]' (September 8, 2026) and 'Logo Detection for Sports Video' (September 1, 2026).