John Rose, a Dell Technologies executive, revealed that the acceleration of AI is significantly transforming the structure of entire organizations and industries, driving new ways of working, developing, and innovating at unprecedented speeds. A key trend is the expansion of AI deployment at the enterprise level to create tangible business results. Peter Mars stated, “This discussion focuses on deployment, and AI is creating real transformative opportunities. We are working with customers across the region to build enterprise-level AI.” For example, Sandisk in Malaysia, a Dell customer, is working with Dell to deliver advanced AI solutions for product design and smart manufacturing, enabling up to 95% of factory automation (lights-out factory).

Mr. Mars added that the increased adoption of AI agents is another example of this transformation. Organizations like Zoho in India are working with Dell to accelerate the deployment of AI agents through context-aware enterprise-level AI solutions. "Prioritizing privacy and supporting multi-faceted workflows, AI has become more accessible to organizations across the region. Dell is building a foundation with its customers to ensure successful enterprise-level AI deployments," John Rose emphasized.

He further stressed that the industry is entering the era of automated agents, where AI agents are evolving from assistants to key managers in complex and ongoing processes. He stated, "When people begin embarking on the AI ??agent adoption journey in 2026, they will be amazed by the far-reaching capabilities AI agents possess. AI agents will enhance human productivity and improve tasks that wouldn't otherwise rely on AI." As the industry continues to evolve and deploy enterprise-level AI, John Rose highlighted the need for businesses to rethink their practices and build resilient AI Factories. "Dell is leading the way, integrating two worlds: AI Factories, cyber recovery, resilience, segregated storage, and data protection to help organizations maintain operational stability."

Sovereign AI and governance are fundamental to innovation. The rapid pace of AI development inevitably leads to some volatility. John Rose predicts a need for robust governance frameworks and a closed and controlled AI environment. This will inevitably become crucial, calling on the industry to build AI defenses both within and outside the organization to help organizations innovate safely and sustainably. “Last year, we predicted that ‘agent’ would be the key word of 2025. This year, ‘government’ will play an even more significant role. Technologies and use cases will not succeed without clear discipline and governance in implementing AI strategies, whether at the organizational, regional, or national level,” said John.

John emphasized, “The number one complexity of moving forward so rapidly is structuring governance, which includes rules that people can understand and follow, as well as a framework for effectively prioritizing key issues. At the national level, the rapidly growing Sovereign AI ecosystem will continue as AI becomes a key driver of state interests.” Peter Mars noted the impetus behind this trend, pointing out that, like many countries in the region, organizations are building their own frameworks to drive local innovation with a strong existing foundation.

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