Thai businesses expect AI investment and returns to accelerate - Bangkok Post

As AI adoption moves from experimentation to execution, Thai businesses are increasingly looking to turn rising investment into trusted, enterprise-wide value.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is entering a new phase in Thailand, with businesses moving beyond experimentation and increasingly integrating AI into everyday operations. 

The SAP Value of AI 2026 report, conducted by Oxford Economics for SAP, surveyed 2,600 business leaders across 13 countries, including 200 respondents in Thailand. The research found that AI already supports 24% of tasks in the average Thai business, a figure expected to rise to 42% within two years. 

The financial expectations are equally significant. The average Thai business currently spends US$18.3 million (602.9 million baht) on AI, with investment expected to increase by 44% over the next two years. At the same time, expected AI returns are projected to rise from 18% this year, equivalent to $3.5 million (115.3 million baht), to 35%, or $8.8 million (289.9 million baht), within two years. 

“Thai businesses are moving from AI experimentation towards execution, and we are seeing that momentum reflected in growing returns. The next opportunity is to connect AI with the data, processes and governance that enable businesses to scale AI responsibly and turn adoption into lasting business value,” said Kulwipa Piyawattanametha, Managing Director, SAP Indochina. 

The research suggests that Thai businesses are already starting to see value from their AI investments. Some 71% are satisfied with their current AI return on investment (ROI), though 55% are not convinced their AI implementation is delivering its full potential. 

The next opportunity is increasingly linked to agentic AI — the evolution of AI from generating information and recommendations to helping execute tasks and workflows. 

Expected financial returns from agentic AI are projected to reach $8.5 million (280 million baht) for the average Thai business over the next two years, representing 13% ROI. 

For businesses, however, scaling AI is not simply about deploying more tools. The ability to connect AI with the right data, processes and people will increasingly determine whether investment translates into sustainable business value. 

There is a wider shift among Thai businesses as AI becomes increasingly integrated into operations, decision-making and customer engagement. 

Rather than viewing AI simply as a tool for automation, businesses are increasingly looking at how it can help employees create insights, make decisions and engage with customers. The research shows that 72% of Thai businesses are planning to upskill or reskill existing employees for AI as part of their workforce planning. 

Data is another critical foundation. While 57% of Thai businesses say they are currently data-ready for AI, readiness is not consistent across the organisation. 

As AI moves deeper into business operations, organisations need access to accurate, contextual data and the processes needed to turn that information into reliable outcomes. 

Governance is also becoming increasingly important as businesses move towards more advanced forms of AI. 

Only 13% of Thai businesses say their skills are fully ready to govern AI effectively, while just 14% say the same for their processes and frameworks. 

This becomes particularly important as businesses explore agentic AI, where AI systems can take action within business workflows. Organisations need to understand where AI is being used, what decisions it can make and how human oversight, security and compliance are maintained as adoption scales. 

For Thai businesses, this means the next stage of AI adoption will require more than investment in technology. It will require organisations to connect data, processes and people while creating the right foundations for trusted AI. 

This is the thinking behind SAP’s Autonomous Enterprise strategy — a vision for businesses where AI works alongside people across connected business processes. 

Rather than treating AI as a collection of standalone tools, the Autonomous Enterprise approach connects AI with the data and processes that run the organisation, while maintaining the context and governance needed to deliver trusted results. 

“As AI investment continues to increase, the focus for business leaders is shifting from adoption to value realisation. The Autonomous Enterprise approach helps organisations move beyond experimentation by integrating AI into the processes that drive business performance, creating opportunities for more sustainable returns and greater operational agility,” said Kulwipa Piyawattanametha, Managing Director, SAP Indochina. 

For Thai businesses, the opportunity is to move from individual AI use cases towards a more connected model in which intelligence is embedded into the way the organisation operates. 

As AI investment and adoption continue to accelerate, the businesses that gain the greatest advantage may not simply be those using the most AI, but those that can integrate it most effectively into their people, processes and decisions. 

The next phase of AI is therefore about more than adoption. It is about turning AI into a trusted, measurable business value.