- Zebra Technologies’ three-pillar strategy for AI-powered frontline operations revealed.
- Combines asset visibility, connected worker solutions, and intelligent automation in APAC.
- Gartner predicts 97% of organisations will deploy AI by 2027.
Zebra Technologies wants to change how AI-powered frontline operations to reshape Asia Pacific’s business landscape in 2025, as Asian organisations face pressure to maximise efficiency. The transformation comes at a important time – CISQ estimates that poor software quality cost US businesses alone $2.41 trillion in 2022, underscoring the urgent need for practical, purpose-driven technology solutions that deliver accurate results.
“Elements of our three-pillar strategy have been around for quite some time, but what’s changing the frontline today is intelligent automation,” said Tom Bianculli, chief technology officer at Zebra Technologies, speaking to reporters at a briefing during Zebra’s 2025 Kickoff in Perth, Australia. “We’re not just digitising workflows – we’re connecting wearable technology with robotic workflows, enabling frontline workers to interact with automation in ways that were impossible just five years ago.”
Changing retail with AI-powered frontline operation
The transformation is already yielding results in real-world applications, according to Zebra Technologies. Bianculli highlighted a recent co-innovation with a major North American retailer: “You snap a picture of a shelf in one second, the traditional AI identifies all the products on the shelf, identifies where there’s missing product, maybe misplaced product. Then it makes that information available to a genAI agent that then decides what should you do.” What traditionally required multiple manual steps now happens automatically. “If it sees what’s missing and there’s back stock, it automatically generates a task for someone else, the right person, to fill that back stock,” Bianculli explained. He said the automation enables retailers to accomplish with three people what previously required four.
APAC’s strategic transformation
The APAC region is proving to be particularly receptive to these types of innovations. According to IBM research presented at the briefing, 54% of APAC enterprises now expect AI to deliver long-term innovation and revenue generation opportunities. The region’s 2025 AI investments reflect that optimism:
- 21% of investment is focused on enhancing customer experiences
- 18% is directed at business process automation
- 16% is invested in sales automation and customer lifecycle management
Ryan Goh, senior vice president and general manager of Asia Pacific at Zebra Technologies, showcased practical applications already in use: “We have customers in e-commerce using ring scanners to scan packages, significantly improving their productivity compared to traditional scanning methods,” he said.
Technology at the edge
Zebra’s approach to frontline operations focuses on:
- AI devices: Built with native neural architecture to support on-device AI models
- Multimodal experiences: Models that can see, hear, interpret, and speak just like a cognitive human being
- GenAI agents: Models that distribute workload between device and cloud for specific workflows
“We are also working [running] some of these large language models actually down on the device,” Bianculli revealed, presenting solutions for environments where there is no internet connectivity. “If we can run the model down on the mobile computer, we can still enable those use cases in those environments.”
Market-specific solutions
The company’s regional strategy addresses distinct markets in the APAC’s diverse economic landscape. Ryan expressed optimism for the region’s key markets, particularly as now follows a period of market adjustment during which customers had previously overbought. Technology adoption is surging in India, for example, where GDP is projected to grow by 6.6%, with manufacturing showing 7% year-over-year growth. 96% of Indian organisations surveyed by WEF are running AI programs, the press were told, and the company’s focus is on enhancing operational efficiency through foundational technologies.
“Tech – from barcodes and RFID, will enable sectors like logistics to overcome challenges and grow,” Goh explained, stating how basic automation can drive digital transformation.
Japan presents unique opportunities, with a projected 1.2% GDP growth and 70% GDP derived from services. Transport and logistics and rising domestic and tourist retail activity are the primary growth-drivers. The country’s distinct challenge with labour shortages and an ageing workforce is accelerating automation adoption. This has led to unexpected applications of some of Zebra’s solutions, particularly in the tablet sector.
“We used to think that tablets are for retail, but the Bay Area proved us wrong,” Goh said. “A lot of [tablets] are in manufacturing. We have also recently launched our new tablet portfolio. KC50 is a kiosk that enables retailers to move the task of scanning payment right to customers rather than having staff do it.” The shift exemplifies how market-specific challenges are driving innovative application of existing technologies. For example, in regional implementations, Goh said customers can unexpectedly optimise workflows. “We have a customer optimising workflow in their warehouse with RFID. That helped improve [and] optimise workflow, drive efficiency and reduce mistakes.”
Future-ready operations
According to Gartner’s projections, by 2027, 25% of CIOs will use augmented connected workforce (ACWF) initiatives to reduce training times by 50% for certain roles. This aligns with Zebra’s recent announcement of its Z Companion that uses generative AI and large language models. It’s set for pilot deployment with select customers in Q2 of this year. With approximately $5B in global sales, 120+ offices in 55 countries, and 10,000+ channel partners across 185 countries, Zebra is positioning itself in the middle of the region’s transformation.
