Microsoft Thailand suggests that the nation needs to swiftly implement artificial intelligence (AI) strategies to transform into an “AI-driven” country. This move would enable small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to boost their efficiency and contribute significantly to economic expansion through higher GDP, particularly when facing worldwide trading obstacles.
The AI Maturity Matrix, a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group examining 73 worldwide economies, outlined six categories ofAI-driven economic progress and possibilities.
Thailand is one of the 20 nations in the biggest category of “gradually implementing” AI technologies.
Only 10% 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”.
Dhanawat Suthumpun, the managing director of Microsoft (Thailand), stated at the recent Microsoft SMEs AI Skills Summit that Thailand must hasten its adoption of artificial intelligence to transform into an AI-driven nation.
If it does not adopt AI within a year, the country will lose a lot of opportunities to competitors, said Mr Dhanawat.
The Singaporean government has invested SGD 150 million (approximately THB 3.79 billion) to promote AI uptake among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by covering fifty percent of their expenses related to adopting artificial intelligence technologies.
In the meantime, Malaysia has set up an AI center of excellence.
He noted that over the last two years, it’s clear how rapidly AI technology has advanced and how vigorously neighboring nations are competing in the AI arena.
Mr. Dhanawat stated that the divide between nations swiftly embracing artificial intelligence and those that are not will become even more pronounced.
He mentioned that Microsoft is engaged in talks with local state authorities to set up a center of excellence in artificial intelligence. This center would function as a testing ground to offer technological resources as an “asset” for particular industries, thereby facilitating easy access to AI tools for small and medium-sized enterprises. The targeted sectors might include agriculture, tourism, or healthcare, according to Mr. Dhanawat.
He stated that AI can tackle numerous issues facing the nation, including GDP growth, an aging populace, and education.
Mr. Dhanawat mentioned that the presence of agentic AI could decrease the reliance on human involvement in specific duties, which might boost overall efficiency.
Given that the teacher-to-student ratio in Thailand stands at 1:50, artificial intelligence has the potential to support educators and offer personalized learning experiences for students.
He referenced an IDC study involving 4,000 participants globally which revealed that 75% of business leaders have embraced generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). Additionally, organizations across the globe reportedly achieve approximately a 3.7-fold return on their investment when they invest in this technology.
“The leading firms could see their returns increase tenfold,” he stated.
Microsoft aims to hasten AI skill development by training one million individuals in Thailand. To achieve this, the corporation has committed over $1 million to adapt its AI education portal, which encompasses more than 200 courses.
Thailand boasts approximately 3.5 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which account for 35% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). According to Mr. Dhanawat, if these businesses utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to boost their efficiency, leading to an increment of over two percentage points in Thailand’s GDP, it could elevate overall economic growth to around 10%.
Wichian Premchaiswadi, who serves as the vice-chairman of the Digital Council of Thailand, stated during the seminar that Thailand requires a specialized “library of AI agents” tailored for various sectors to identify potential returns on investment through practical applications.
He mentioned that the library might provide assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises in specific industries, allowing them to adopt these use cases. Should these implementations demonstrate success for businesses, banks may probably expand loan accessibility, according to Mr. Wichian.
Akkarapol Sukta, who serves as the vice-chairman of the Institute of Information and Communication Technology for Industry at the Federation of Thai Industries, stated that 6,000 factories have shut down this year.
He stated that Thailand needs to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to embrace technology by educating them about its significance and providing incentives for adopting artificial intelligence (AI).
Ubonrat Khaphaeng, who serves as the assistant managing director for corporate communications and sustainable development at the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand, mentioned that the institution has set up a 30 billion baht fund through a lending initiative aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in enhancing their businesses.
Vorapoj Prasanpanich, an assistant director at the Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion, stated that approximately 100,000 small and medium-sized enterprises enhanced their business outcomes in 2023.
Mr. Vorapaj stated that we must enhance their abilities across various levels and involve specialists to help small and medium-sized enterprises with their AI transition.
Provided by GAPTEKZONE. (
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