Thailand must shift its artificial intelligence strategy from basic workforce training to developing world-class super talents, according to Chanwit Boonchuay, president of the AI Entrepreneur Association of Thailand. This strategic pivot aims to establish a new economic growth curve by focusing on top-tier developers who can build and optimize advanced AI models.
Current national strategies focus on training basic and advanced AI users. While this addresses unemployment, it fails to produce the top-tier talent needed to build systems from scratch. "Developing general users will address unemployment and help people adapt, but it will not drive a new economic S-curve," Boonchuay said.
Building elite technical talent
These high-level developers are heavily recruited by global technology companies. If Thailand cannot produce enough of these experts domestically, the country must import them from across the region. Bringing in external experts allows local developers to upskill and improve their capabilities alongside experienced teams.
Thailand should focus on building entrepreneurs who can merge advanced AI knowledge with specific domain expertise. The nation can compete globally by applying this expertise to unique datasets in healthcare, agriculture, wellness, and services. Relying solely on basic AI in these sectors will not guarantee a leadership position. Maintaining a competitive edge requires blending domain expertise with resource-intensive AI models.
Overcoming market and infrastructure barriers
Achieving this level of AI development requires significant investment in infrastructure. High-performance computing resources and reliable data systems remain scarce in the country. Furthermore, local AI startups face a closed domestic market. Large corporations and leading hospitals are typically reluctant to engage with small tech firms of three to five people due to traditional corporate cultures, Boonchuay said.
To overcome these barriers, Thailand must establish supportive sandboxes or incubation spaces. These environments would open markets for deep-tech startups, allowing them to collaborate with major industry players, access dedicated funding, and scale their businesses. The Technology and Innovation in Life Sciences National Agency is already initiating incubation programs for high-potential AI ventures in healthcare and wellness to establish a local footprint before entering international markets.
Why this matters for human resources professionals
HR leaders must rethink talent acquisition and development strategies to support this shift from basic user training to advanced technical capability. To effectively guide this transition, executives can explore an AI Learning Path for CHROs, ensuring workforce planning matches the need for specialized AI developers. Organizations prioritizing AI for Human Resources should focus on retaining experts who can build custom models rather than just operate existing tools. "Problems in healthcare and agriculture are globally scalable, which means successful local AI solutions can eventually be exported worldwide, creating a crucial new business engine for the Thai economy," Boonchuay said.
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