Artificial intelligence (AI) and data technologies have evolved rapidly, reshaping industries over the past few years. No longer just a tool for segmenting customers by demographics or purchase patterns, AI now drives strategic decisions, transforming industries by enhancing customer experience and improving efficiency.
ADA, an AI and data company operating in 12 markets in Asia, has been a key player in this transformation. Over the past six years, it has grown significantly, becoming a leader in digital and data-driven business transformation across Asia.
Asia’s AI and Tech Leader
Founded in 2018, ADA has helped enterprises achieve their business goals, especially in marketing and commerce. Its data-driven approach has fueled rapid growth, making it one of Asia’s largest independent data, AI, and technology firms.
ADA employs more than 1,400 people and serves over 1,500 clients in 12 markets, including Japan, South Korea, India, and ASEAN countries. Its customers span various sectors, such as banking, insurance, retail, fashion, oil and gas, telecommunications, food and beverage, and automotive.
Srinivas Gattamneni, CEO of ADA, attributes the company’s success to its deep belief in the power of data and AI. “Our foundation is built on the conviction that AI is the future of data,” he says. “We focus on helping clients establish strong data foundations through engineering and analytics, enabling them to turn that data into personalized actions. From there, our AI CoPilots and digital operations drive impactful outcomes across the entire customer journey, fueling commerce success at every touchpoint.”
Gattamneni emphasizes ADA’s focus on business impact for clients. “Everything we do is outcome-driven, whether it’s driving sales and revenue growth, increasing customer lifetime value, or reducing customer acquisition costs,” he says. “Our goal isn’t just to provide solutions but to deliver measurable, transformative results.”
AI’s Growing Influence
AI is now a critical driver of revenue and growth, not just a supporting tool. Gattamneni says AI influences up to 35% of revenue in global industries, highlighting its role in shaping consumer behavior.
Sectors like travel and financial services have seen significant impacts from AI-driven innovation, while many traditional industries are just beginning to explore AI’s potential. “The trend is still in its infancy, but AI’s influence will grow across all sectors. We’re on the brink of a future where AI will be central to everything from content creation and marketing to commerce,” says Gattamneni.
Hyper-Customization at Scale
Data and AI are set to revolutionize marketing and commerce further in the coming years, particularly through hyper-personalization. Current personalization targets broad segments, but AI enables truly individualized strategies.
“With generative AI, we’re moving toward one-to-one marketing. Brands will be able to create highly personalized, dynamic content for individual consumers at a fraction of the historical cost,” Gattamneni says. “What was once cost-prohibitive is now achievable, allowing companies to engage consumers in a more meaningful, tailored way. We can now produce individually personalized creative content for close to one cent,” he adds.
Real-time pricing is another emerging trend, with product prices usually based on historical data. “With AI, companies can implement real-time pricing using factors like consumer demand, competitors’ pricing, marketing strategy, supply chain, and overall consumer behavior,” he says.
Gattamneni expects augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to play bigger roles in the future of commerce, allowing consumers to visualize how products fit into their lives. For example, consumers can use AR to virtually try on clothes, shoes, and accessories from home, offering a personalized shopping experience and eliminating the need to visit stores.
Building a Strong Data Foundation
ADA’s advantage, Gattamneni says, is its team of data scientists, data engineers, analysts, and industry specialists, whose combined expertise helps the company understand clients’ needs and deliver tailored solutions to meet business goals.
One key solution driving significant momentum is ADA’s suite of proprietary AI CoPilots. Launched in April, the CoPilots combine disparate data sets, visualize key insights in robust dashboards, and use AI models to support critical real-time decisions.
There are four versions: CoPilot for Full Funnel Marketing, CoPilot for Ecommerce, CoPilot for Conversational AI, and CoPilot for Customer Segmentation. “If you’re an e-commerce specialist, you can use CoPilot to get an integrated view of performance across all channels. You’ll see where demand is coming from, and with predictive and prescriptive AI models, you can make quick decisions on operations, pricing, and demand planning across channels and marketplaces,” he says.
“Our foundation is built on the conviction that AI is the future of data. We focus on helping clients establish strong data foundations through engineering and analytics, enabling them to turn that data into personalized actions.”—Srinivas Gattamneni
“For e-commerce specialists, CoPilot can help you make better marketing decisions across the full funnel and get a clear visibility of every dollar spent,” Gattamneni explains. “The response has been amazing. We already have about 100 clients across the region using CoPilot as part of their day-to-day operations.”
Global Expansion and Proficorn Ambitions
While ADA’s success in Asia is notable, the company is pursuing global expansion and aims to enter the U.S. market within six months. ADA already manages digital transformation for U.S.-based clients in Asia.
“We see exciting opportunities in the U.S., with its openness to innovation and startups,” says Gattamneni. In 2023, Japan’s Mitsui & Co., Ltd. invested US$58 million in ADA, valuing the company at US$550 million. Other investors include Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp., Sumitomo Corp., and Malaysia’s Axiata Group Berhad.
However, ADA is not just chasing unicorn status. Gattamneni stresses the focus on becoming a “proficorn”—a profitable unicorn. “We’re scaling sustainably, focusing on long-term value creation,” he says.
