BANGKOK: Thailand has become the country with the world’s second-fastest growth in workplace adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), behind only South Korea, Microsoft says.
Although the current level of AI adoption among Thai workers remains below the overall average, its year-on-year (y-o-y) growth has surged by 36.4%, reflecting rising awareness and readiness among Thais to use technology to transform the way they work.
Dhanawat Suthumpun, managing mirector of Microsoft Thailand and Emerging Markets, told Microsoft AI Tour Bangkok 2026 that Thailand’s overall AI adoption rate stood at 12.4%, while y-o-y growth had reached 36.4%.
This makes Thailand the country with the second-fastest growth in AI adoption globally, compared with the global average growth rate of only 17.8%.
Among data workers in Thailand, AI usage has reached 32%, twice the global average.
Thai business leaders also show a strong AI vision, with 51% of executives in Thailand demonstrating clear direction on AI adoption, compared with the global average of 26%.
“What we are seeing today reinforces that AI is a powerful force in driving business outcomes, creating new opportunities for the country and society, and enabling us to address challenges that may previously have seemed beyond reach,” Dhanawat said.
According to Microsoft’s latest Global AI Diffusion report, serious AI adoption among Thailand’s working-age population rose from 9.1% in the first half of financial year 2025 to 12.4% in the first quarter of financial year 2026.
This placed Thailand second globally for growth in the share of AI users, behind South Korea, which recorded growth of 43.2%, and ahead of Japan at 34.1%.
Microsoft’s Work Trend Index 2026 also highlighted another important trend among employees in Thai organisations.
Around 32% of Thai respondents were classified as “Frontier Professionals”, or advanced AI users, double the global average of 16%.
On leadership and strategic direction, 51% of Thai workers said their organisational leaders had a clear AI vision, also roughly twice the global average of 26%.
Microsoft said the two reports reflected strong AI enthusiasm and rapid adoption in Thailand.
The company views Thailand’s AI market as moving beyond the experimentation phase, and added that it sees significant room for further growth, as 87.6% of the population, has yet to adopt AI to improve quality of life and work.
“There is still substantial room for growth because another 87.6% of the population, such as people in manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare and education, have yet to start using AI in daily life,” Dhanawat said.
Microsoft AI Tour Bangkok 2026 was held after Microsoft announced an investment of more than US$1bil, or around 35 billion baht, in Thailand’s cloud and AI infrastructure between 2026 and 2028. — The Nation/ANN
