Thailand nudged to utilise AI in growth pursuit

Thailand should urgently adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to become an "AI-first" country, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to increase productivity and drive GDP growth amid global trade challenges, says Microsoft Thailand.

- SUCHIT LEESA-NGUANSUK

The AI Maturity Matrix, a Boston Consulting Group study that assessed 73 global economies, identified six archetypes of AI economic development potential.

Thailand is among the 20 countries in the largest group of "gradual practitioners" adopting AI.

Only 35% of the countries rank as being leading AI pioneers, including Canada, China, Singapore, the UK and the US.

Malaysia is defined as a "steady contender" and Vietnam a "rising contender".

"Thailand needs to rush to adopt AI to become an AI-first country," Dhanawat Suthumpun, managing director of Microsoft (Thailand), said during the recent Microsoft SMEs AI Skills Summit.

If it does not adopt AI within a year, the country will lose a lot of opportunities, said Mr Dhanawat.

The government aims to encourage SMEs to embrace AI by subsidising half of each SME's investment in AI adoption.

Malaysia and Indonesia has established an AI centre of excellence.

"You can see in the past two years how fast AI technology has developed and how active neighbouring countries are in the AI race," he said.