ACROSS Asia, we witness an exciting shift. Artificial intelligence is no longer a technology reserved for a handful of leading economies or tech giants. It is becoming a driving force for inclusive growth in fast-emerging digital nations.
Bangladesh is one of the most promising examples of this shift. With a population of more than 165 million, a median age of 26 and with over half of all households now using the internet, the youth population is well-positioned to power the next wave of digital innovation.
Now, with the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and, more recently, Agentic artificial intelligence, Bangladesh stands at a defining moment. The opportunity is to leverage the technologies to not only boost economic growth but also drive social inclusion and national resilience.
PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates the total contribution of artificial intelligence to the global economy at $17 trillion by 2030. Globally, artificial intelligence is projected to add over $17 trillion to the economy by 2030. For Bangladesh, artificial intelligence can be a game-changer, acting as an equaliser that empowers small businesses to compete on a global stage, enhances productivity in agriculture and manufacturing and improves the delivery of public services. We already see early examples of this potential globally:
Health care: Artificial intelligence is revolutionising health care by enabling early disease detection and personalised treatment, making health care more accessible and effective.
Finance: In the financial sector, artificial intelligence is bolstering cyber defences and enhancing compliance, ensuring that financial transactions are secure and efficient.
Agriculture: Farmers are using artificial intelligence to monitor crops, optimise irrigation, and forecast yields, leading to more sustainable and profitable farming practices.
Manufacturing: Artificial intelligence is helping manufacturers to predict equipment failures and streamline operations, reducing downtime and increasing efficiency.
What is remarkable is that the impact of artificial intelligence is not confined to a few sectors. It permeates the entire economy, from small enterprises to government institutions. This broad reach underscores the potential for artificial intelligence to drive inclusive growth.
The advent of agentic artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence agents capable of autonomous action, marks a significant milestone in the digital transformation of businesses and public institutions. While much of the artificial intelligence conversation is about large language models, the revolution is happening in artificial intelligence-driven digital labour. Agentic artificial intelligence, representing what experts say will become a $6 trillion digital labour market opportunity, can handle repetitive tasks, facilitate faster decision-making and augment human workers, allowing them to focus on more creative and higher-value work.
A government service desk can operate round the clock and round the week, a bank can onboard customers faster and more securely, or a manufacturing unit can optimise processes in real-time. Agentic artificial intelligence can make the scenarios a reality, delivering outcomes with greater speed, accuracy and scale.
Trust is the cornerstone of artificial intelligence adoption. Organisations require responsible, safe, accurate and trustworthy artificial intelligence from the start, especially in the era of agentic artificial intelligence. Trust and safety must be embedded into artificial intelligence systems, along with strong data protection. Equally important are tools that foster transparency and empower users to make informed choices about what to delegate to artificial intelligence.
As Bangladesh develops its artificial intelligence ecosystem, we believe that a collaborative, risk-based approach to artificial intelligence governance, one that reflects local needs and encourages innovation, will be essential.
If the past decade of Bangladesh’s digital progress, in mobile connectivity, government e-services, and digital finance, has shown us anything, it is this. When ambition is matched by collaboration, remarkable changes are possible.
Artificial intelligence represents the next great opportunity. But it is the one we must shape together through a collective effort. Public-private partnerships, strong digital governance and a shared commitment to responsible innovation are essential.
Bangladesh has the talent, the infrastructure and the vision to lead in this space not only regionally, but globally. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and agentic artificial intelligence, Bangladesh can unlock its full digital potential and create a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous society for all.
Arun Kumar Parameswaran is executive vice-president and managing director of Salesforce – South Asia.