BANGKOK, Thailand – Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas unveiled a three-pillar strategy on Monday to drive national artificial intelligence adoption, while partnering with the World Bank to address cybersecurity risks and deepfakes.
Speaking during the flagship session titled “Small AI: More and Better Jobs” at the 2026 IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings (AM2026) held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Ekniti outlined a vision aimed at sustainable economic development through responsible AI integration:
Three Core Pillars
- “AI in all” — Enhancing Existing Productivity: Upgrading efficiency across traditional businesses. Ekniti highlighted the “Nok Krasip” AI assistant within a mobile wallet application, designed to help nearly 1 million small merchants manage inventory and calculate profits.
- “All in AI” — Building Capability for New Jobs: Preparing the workforce for emerging roles by attracting infrastructure investments in data centers and semiconductors, upskilling workers alongside educational institutions, and lowering access costs for startups and SMEs.
- “AI for all” — Inclusive Growth: Supporting workers and businesses during technological transitions while integrating government data to deliver targeted assistance.
International Cooperation
The government emphasized international collaboration, particularly working alongside the World Bank and global institutions to share best practices and combat online threats, including deepfakes, to ensure safe and responsible AI governance. (TNA)
