AsiaPac X AsiaPay Seminar Recap: Unveiling the Future of Commerce With AI-Driven Strategies for Marketing and Payment Innovation

Digital commerce is changing fast, thanks to the rapid convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and fintech. As consumer behaviour shifts from manually searching to AI-driven decision-making, businesses are facing a new reality in how they market products and process payments. On May 14th, 2026, industry leaders and experts gathered at the Hong Thai Expo & Business Centre for a joint seminar hosted by AsiaPac and AsiaPay titled “The Future of Commerce: AI Marketing and Smart Payment Innovation”.

The takeaway of the day was clear: brands need to embrace automation and smart tech to navigate the next era of shopping.

How AI is Changing the Way Consumers Search

Opening the session, Alex Mo, our Senior Business Development Director, addressed the fundamental shift in how consumers interact with information. This transition is backed by significant market momentum, with global AI marketing revenues expected to exceed US$107 billion by 2028. Along with that, AI adoption is projected to pick up as 85% of marketers are already using AI tools for content creation.

Mo also highlighted that this year will see AI evolve into a decision-making catalyst, helping shoppers with researching and comparing products. This is reflected in current search trends, where up to 30% of Google searches now feature AI Overviews. To maintain visibility in the age of AI Overviews, he introduced the concept of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), where the focus is on ensuring brand content is authoritative and easily synthesised by AI models.

To support this transition, AsiaPac showcased how businesses can use intelligent automation to bridge the gap between discovery and conversion. A key focus was on Performance Max (PMax) and AI Max, which utilise machine learning to identify high-intent search queries that traditional keywords often miss. These tools have helped advertisers see conversion increases of up to 27% by automating placements across channels.

In the social sphere, the focus shifted to high-speed creative execution. Tools like Meta Advantage+ now allow brands to automatically test over 100 creative combinations in real-time, resulting in a 40% higher click-through rate than manual campaigns. This is further bolstered by AsiaPac’s proprietary AI platforms, such as KOOLER AI and OptAdEasy, which help brands connect with over 200,000 influencers across Asia and enable effective cross-platform ad optimisation, respectively.

Smart Payment Innovation: The Era of Agentic AI

The second half of the seminar moved from how consumers find products to how they pay for them. AsiaPay’s Senior Sales & Marketing Manager, Mandy Lam, introduced Agentic AI in payment systems as the core of their 2026-2027 adoption roadmap.

During the session, Lam explained how AI agents are becoming the backbone of future payments, where, unlike standard automation, these agents operate as domain-specific specialists capable of making contextual decisions. This effectively makes transactions invisible, predictive, and highly secure.

Key innovations involved in this evolution of payment were also discussed:

• The Agentic Payment Protocol: Ensures interoperability with international standards like VISA while staying compatible with local payment rails across AsiaPay’s 17 regional offices.
  

• AI-Augmented Security: Combines AI-driven fraud detection and biometric authentication, like VoicePay, to create a safer, more inclusive financial environment.

• VoicePay & AddPass: Pushes the boundaries of how consumers authorise and manage digital transactions through voice and integrated digital passes.
  

Supercharging Growth Beyond Transactions With Strategic Partnerships

The core of the seminar underscored a vital change that is already underway. Brands need more than just traffic or transactions to get ahead. This realisation is what drives the strategic partnership between AsiaPac and AsiaPay.

Combining AsiaPac’s expertise as an AI-driven omnichannel marketing technology company with AsiaPay’s standing as a leader in intelligent payment solutions allows both entities to supercharge one another. Through this collaboration, both entities supercharge one another to provide merchants with a holistic ecosystem to boost business growth.

A Holistic Framework for 2026 and Beyond

The event concluded with a panel discussion, which emphasised that marketing and payments can no longer operate in silos. The integration of AI-driven discovery and frictionless, intelligent fulfilment is now the baseline for businesses looking to scale within the APAC market.

As these technologies become the industry standard, AsiaPac and AsiaPay remain committed to providing the technical framework and regional expertise necessary to turn complex AI into a distinct competitive advantage.

For businesses ready to adapt their strategies for AI-driven commerce, you can reach the team at info@asiapac.com.hk or info@adtechinno.com.