Autodesk Drives Business Resilience, Talent, and Sustainability in ASEAN

Autodesk recently hosted its Design and Make Summit in Kuala Lumpur today, focusing on driving digital transformation to strengthen business resilience, cultivate talent, and advance sustainability.

Officiated by YB Dato’ Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Malaysia’s Minister of Works, the regional event brought together industry decision-makers from companies across ASEAN. The attendees represent the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO), and Design and Manufacturing (D&M) sectors.

Noteworthy speakers at the summit included John Lim, Chief Digital Officer at Gamuda Berhad; Ts. Muhammad Asri Wahirudin, Head of Technology Solutions & Integration at Malaysia Automotive, Robotics, and IoT Institute (MARii); Pham Việt Chương, Engineering Director at Rochdale Spears; and Muhammad Khalil, Senior Vice President Group Technology Office at Boustead Singapore.

The event highlighted critical insights from Autodesk’s 2024 State of Design & Make Report, an annual global study aimed at leaders who design and make places, objects, and experiences. The report identifies the most pressing issues shaping today’s businesses with a total of 1,688 cross-industry business leaders and experts surveyed in APAC.

Autodesk Enables Digital Transformation Towards a High-Value Economy

“I am glad to see the Autodesk report highlighting the role of digital transformation in driving business resilience, talent, and sustainability. These are key factors in growing Malaysia’s economy towards attaining high-income status. The Malaysian government is committed towards supporting digital transformation and AI adoption which aligns with Malaysia’s MADANI aspiration as envisioned by Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim,” said YB Dato’ Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

Malaysia aims to become a high-income nation within 10 years, with the framework to achieve this detailed in the 13th Malaysia Plan. At the summit, Nanta spoke on the Government of Malaysia’s perspective on “Exploring Economic Landscapes: Industry Insights and Trends.”

The Rise of AI Implementation

“We are championing AI (Artificial Intelligence) adoption in Malaysia and the ASEAN region, to help enable business leaders and experts in making informed, strategic decisions on focus areas and where to prioritise investments for the future,” said Haresh Khoobchandani, Vice President of APAC & Japan at Autodesk. “The role of data is crucial in the usage of AI. At Autodesk, our vision to link customers’ processes and teams hinges on connected data, which enables AI to reach its full potential.”

Daron Green, Chief Scientist from Autodesk’s US headquarters, spoke on “Artificial Intelligence and The Future of Design & Make.”

“Leaders in the Design and Make industries are increasingly embracing AI and emerging technology to pursue potential productivity gains through automation, augmentation and analysis,” Green said. “There is now a better understanding that AI is a tool that can improve workflows, save time, and inspire creativity today rather than a futuristic pipe dream.”

Autodesk’s survey revealed that businesses in APAC are bullish on AI with 72% of respondents agreeing that AI will enhance their industry and 74% agreeing that AI will make the industry more creative. Design & Make industry leaders shared that their companies are increasingly using AI to boost productivity, address the skills gap, provide design options and automate routine tasks.

Business Resilience and Optimism Amid Challenges

The summit highlighted the Autodesk State of Design and Make report’s findings that optimism is returning, with 66% of companies reporting being prepared to handle unforeseen change.

“APAC leaders feel their companies are far more resilient this year as they continue to leverage on digital tools. Companies are proactively improving their positions, taking steps such as planning new offerings, entering new markets, increasing agility, and diversifying supply chains,” shared Khoobchandani.

Digitalisation continues to drive new outcomes and broaden opportunities for Design and Make organisations with 34% of APAC companies saying digital transformation has improved productivity.

The Talent Crunch

The challenge in bridging the talent gap was also emphasised in the report and the summit. As ASEAN economies continue to grow, there is a supply shortage in the talent pipeline leading to a long-term challenge in attracting people to the Design and Make sectors.

Respondents also acknowledged the importance of upskilling existing talent to stay competitive amid the digital transformation.

“APAC companies value training but lack resources. While 73% recognise that upskilling employees is important, only 31% say their organisations have the necessary skills and resources to design internal training programmes. On a positive note, these limitations are not stopping companies from offering training opportunities, with 66% implementing continuous learning at their organisations,” said Khoobchandani.

Spotlight on Sustainability

Sustainability has become increasingly important for Malaysia and ASEAN economies, in light of the growing impact of climate change. Here, changing attitudes around sustainability are driving progress, with leaders starting to invest in energy efficiency, materials reduction, and more sustainable processes.

“In addition to Bursa Malaysia making sustainability reporting mandatory for listed companies, sustainability is now also a key concern for employees, customers and investors—as well as an important driver of business success,” added Khoobchandani.

Autodesk’s report revealed that 94% of companies have taken actions to improve sustainability and 71% of respondents are proud of their company’s sustainability efforts.

For more information on the Autodesk 2024 State of Design & Make report, please visit www.autodesk.com/design-make/research/state-of-design-and-make.