OpenAI Highlights Rapid Adoption of AI Tools in Southeast Asia

OpenAI, the group behind ChatGPT, has released new data highlighting the rapid adoption of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools across Southeast Asia. This announcement is in line with the 46th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Globally, OpenAI has over 500 million weekly active users worldwide and more than 2 million paying business customers globally. New data released by OpenAI highlights the strong growth in AI adoption across Southeast Asian nations, highlighting the importance of building critical AI infrastructure to support this growing demand, the growth of local startup ecosystems, and drive economic growth.

AI Adoption in Southeast Asia Surges

Since first establishing a presence in Asia one year ago, weekly users of ChatGPT in Southeast Asia have tripled, highlighting growing demand and appetite for wider public use of AI tools in the peoples’ lives across Southeast Asia.

Country highlights include (year-over-year growth):

• Vietnam: 700%+
• Thailand: 700%+
• Malaysia: 330%
• Indonesia: 330% (top five market globally for weekly ChatGPT users)
• Singapore: 100%
• Philippines: 84%

How People in Southeast Asia Are Using ChatGPT, According to OpenAI

People, businesses, and civic institutions across Southeast Asia are using OpenAI’s advanced AI tools to solve hard problems and become more productive, creative and efficient.

Across Southeast Asia, the top five use cases for ChatGPT are:

1. Tutoring and teaching
2. How to advice
3. Writing and editing
4. Writing fiction and creative ideation
5. Translation

Younger users, particularly those aged 18–34, are driving this growth, signalling how important AI is becoming for future workforces.

Infrastructure Is Destiny

According to OpenAI, this rapid growth in demand for AI highlights a clear need for stronger investment in regional AI infrastructure. Essential infrastructure, such as data centres and powerful computing capabilities, is necessary to support the continued development and deployment of AI technologies.

OpenAI’s “OpenAI for Countries” initiative helps nations build this essential infrastructure, enabling them to fully benefit from AI’s potential to boost economic growth, improve education, enhance healthcare, and streamline government services.

“It’s incredible to see how quickly people across Southeast Asia are embracing AI—including developers and startups who are building the future using our advanced AI models,” said Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer at OpenAI. “With the upcoming ASEAN Summit emphasising digital transformation, investing in AI infrastructure today will help Southeast Asian countries better meet their citizens’ needs, foster innovation, and position countries in the region as leaders in AI.”