AI has shifted from early experimentation to purpose-driven, value-focused adoption. In an exclusive interview with Entelechy Asia on the sidelines of Adobe Summit Singapore, Adobe’s President of Japan and Asia Pacific Ben Goodman shared insights on how organisations are now embedding AI into core operations, while grappling with regional nuances, governance, and the growing importance of content authenticity.
He explained how Singapore’s forward-thinking framework is shaping regional AI governance, and detailed why content provenance, authenticity and responsible use are fast becoming non-negotiable standards for enterprises, regulators and society at large.
“Many organisations have moved past experimentation and are now focused on practical implementation and monetisation of AI. It is no longer about what we can do, but what makes sense for the business,” said Goodman, who highlighted the importance of how a business appears in AI within large language models and recommendation engines.
Regional language and data challenges
Asia-Pacific’s diversity brings distinct hurdles. “Most AI models were originally trained on English by default,” said Goodman. “In early generative tools, local language and cultural nuance were often missing. We have invested heavily to change that by training models across markets and building deep local capability.”
AI also exposed critical gaps in how organisations manage information. “Many companies discovered they held vast amounts of data but lacked the structure to use it effectively,” he said. “This has driven positive change with teams overhauling data management, cleansing records and building robust foundations. Once that layer is solid, every AI tool built on top performs far better.”
Adobe has adopted this approach for its core offerings. “We have long prioritised multi-language support and cultural relevance. These are reflected in everything from our product design to the diverse global library in Adobe Stock,” Goodman said. “Firefly is built for governance from day one, partnering with Google and others to ensure quality while protecting brand consistency. Our Experience Platform unifies customer data into actionable insights, and we work alongside partners including Accenture and Deloitte to embed best practices across industries.”
Dramatic shift in boardroom conversations
Conversations in boardrooms have shifted dramatically over the past 18 months. “Previously, customer experience transformations were multi-year undertakings. Now, leaders want to see tangible returns within 30 days. They ask: ‘When does this pay back?’ And equally important: ‘How do we do this safely?’,” said Goodman.
Governance, data security and compliance have leapfrogged from afterthoughts to top priorities.
“Executives want assurance that models are trained on permissible data, that decisions are legally sound, and that brand identity remains protected,” he explained. “With Firefly, we built brand intelligence from the start. A company can train models on its own content and that intellectual property stays exclusively theirs. We anticipated these concerns early and engineered protection directly into the product.”
He added, “It was never just about why use AI — we’ve always focused on how. But as the hype fades, the questions have sharpened: Is this valuable? Is it ethical? Is it sustainable? That is a very healthy evolution for the industry.”
Singapore’s forward-looking approach
Goodman lauded Singapore as a standout global leader in responsible AI adoption. “The government has consistently set a strong pace — from freeing up educators’ time with AI-assisted planning to establishing robust standards like SingPass as a trusted ‘human-in-the-loop’ authentication layer for AI services.”
Local enterprises mirror this momentum. “Singaporean brands are often international by design,” he said. “They turn first to generative AI to tailor content for new markets, while their already strong data maturity lets them rapidly refine customer segmentation, product development and digital engagement. The country’s world-class digital banking services are just one visible example of how deeply AI is already woven into everyday life.”
On deepfakes, misinformation and synthetic media, Goodman praised Singapore’s Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) as a global benchmark.
“HTX takes a society-wide approach rather than limiting safeguards to specific age groups or platforms,” he said. “That is world leading. Our work centres on clear provenance to ensure that AI-generated content is flagged so audiences understand its origin and can judge it accordingly.”
He expects content authenticity and provenance to become standard requirements worldwide.
“We will see use-case-specific standards emerge — similar to Japan’s rule requiring food packaging imagery to match actual product size,” Goodman predicted. “Certifications will evolve over the next four to five years, shaped jointly by governments, industry and consumer groups. Adobe stands ready to help define those frameworks.”
Ultimately, he said, no single measure will solve the challenge alone.
“Responsible AI requires three pillars: companies acting with integrity, governments setting clear standards and widespread public education. Singapore’s unified approach across all three gives it a critical advantage and sets an example for the rest of the region to follow,” said Goodman.
Entelechy Asia 