AI and Asia Expansion: Why Speed Increases Risk Without Governance

Founder POV

From the desk of the founder - Ms Betty Gervasini, FCA

After more than 20 years helping companies enter and scale across Asia, I’ve seen several technology waves.
AI is the fastest so far.

What feels familiar is not the technology itself, but what happens when speed overtakes governance.
Asia has very little tolerance for shortcuts, even when intentions are good.

The Real Issue (Structured Insight)

AI accelerates decisions in:

• Hiring and workforce planning
• Market entry timelines
• Role consolidation and automation

However, Asia expansion still requires:

• Country-specific labour compliance
• Proper employment structures
• Clear accountability for people decisions

Speed without structure does not create efficiency. It creates exposure.

Asia-Specific Lens

In many Asian jurisdictions:

• Employment protections are stricter than expected
• Retrenchment rules are procedural, not discretionary
• Payroll and reporting errors surface during audits or disputes, not immediately

AI-driven decisions often surface issues after execution, when correction is expensive.

What Leaders Should Do

Leadership teams expanding into Asia with AI should ask:

1. Who owns accountability when AI influences people decisions?
2. How are local compliance risks validated before execution?
3. What governance exists beyond vendor assurances?

TaxTok Compliance Updates

At HR Forte and through TaxTok, we see this pattern repeatedly across Asia markets.
AI works best when governance and accountability are clarified before execution, not after.