Over half of APAC businesses want greater control over strategic data in latest digital sovereignty push, new research shows

• APAC organisations place greater emphasis on digital sovereignty than their global peers, with 43% ranking it among their leading drivers of technology investment
• The findings point to growing demand for visibility and control over how sensitive data moves across increasingly complex cloud, AI and connectivity environments

Businesses around the world, including Asia Pacific, are seeking greater control over their sensitive and strategic data as growing concerns around AI, security and compliance push digital sovereignty higher up the boardroom agenda, according to the latest IDC InfoBrief commissioned by Expereo.

The research found that 51% of APAC organisations prioritising digital sovereignty want to retain control over sensitive and strategic data, broadly in line with 53% globally. They are also placing greater emphasis on digital sovereignty than their global peers, with 38% viewing it as a top or high priority, compared with 33% globally. In addition, 43% of respondents from the region also rank it among the leading drivers of technology investment, compared with 30% globally. This highlights how governance, risk and compliance considerations are becoming increasingly important as organisations scale AI and cloud initiatives.

The findings suggest organisations are looking beyond traditional approaches to data governance as they seek to better manage risk, regulatory obligations and operational resilience. Among APAC organisations not using AI or only beginning implementation, 60% identify security, data privacy, compliance or digital sovereignty concerns as a significant barrier to AI adoption, while 54% of APAC technology leaders regard new security risks as a significant potential consequence of using AI.

Eric Wong, President, Asia Pacific at Expereo, says: “There is no single path to digital sovereignty across Asia Pacific. Businesses are navigating very different regulatory environments, cross-border data requirements and geopolitical risks, while accelerating their adoption of cloud and AI.

For multinational organisations, the challenge is maintaining visibility and control over how data and traffic move across markets without creating fragmented operations. As AI adoption accelerates, the network will become an increasingly important part of managing that complexity and enabling businesses to operate confidently across the region.

At Expereo, we help multinational businesses design and manage global connectivity around their regional, regulatory and operational needs, providing greater visibility into how traffic moves across complex digital environments. As AI adoption accelerates, this visibility will become an increasingly important part of helping organisations maintain control, manage risk and operate confidently across many jurisdictions.”

Fact Sheet: APAC technology leaders prioritise sovereignty as AI, cyber risk and connectivity pressures converge