KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Thailand has officially handed over and disseminated the National AI Roadmap for the Sustainable Productivity of Industries in Thailand, placing productivity rather than technology adoption itself at the centre of the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) transformation agenda.
The milestone took place at the Thailand Productivity Forum 2026: “Twin Transformation – AI × Productivity × Net Zero”, held in conjunction with the 1st AI Productivity Collaboration Consortium, emphasising AI should be judged by the measurable value it creates for firms, workers, public services, and the wider economy.
Prepared collaboratively by the Thailand Productivity Institute (FTPI) and Asian Productivity Organization (APO), with the technical support of FutureLab, the roadmap is grounded in 23 in-depth stakeholder interviews, a strategy workshop, and practical AI training.
Importantly, its quantitative items are presented as recommended goals for the Ministry of Industry, including a 15 per cent productivity increase across specified MIND priority sectors by 2030 and at least 60 per cent AI adoption among large enterprises and 40 per cent among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in key sectors.
In addition, the roadmap targets at least 80 AI pilot projects across priority sectors, with 30 per cent scaled into full production, as well as certification of at least 50,000 industrial workers and 5,000 AI specialists by 2030, according to APO in a statement.
Thailand already has a powerful proof point, with the World Economic Forum (WEF) adding Midea’s Si Racha facility to its Global Lighthouse Network in 2025 after the plant deployed 72 digital and AI solutions.
WEF-reported outcomes included a 43 per cent reduction in order lead time, a 32 per cent decline in customer complaints and a 62 per cent improvement in employee qualification speed, demonstrating what becomes possible when AI is integrated with process redesign, workforce development and operational discipline.
Meanwhile, the 2024 ETDA–NSTDA AI Readiness study received responses from 580 organisations, with 17.8 per cent reporting that they were already using AI, while 73.3 per cent planned future adoption.
Aligned with the APO Vision 2030 and Thailand's Strategic Partnership Program, the roadmap provides a platform for moving from project-based AI adoption toward a result-orientated productivity transformation system.
APO said the next test will not be how many AI initiatives Thailand launches, but how widely AI helps enterprises, especially SMEs, to create more value, build stronger capabilities, and compete sustainably.
-- BERNAMA