Workers in Thailand with artificial intelligence (AI) skills and expertise could see salary hikes of over 41% from employers, according to a new report.
Some 98% of Thai organisations are projected to use AI by 2028, with hiring of AI-skilled employees a priority for 94% of employers.
However, 64% are struggling to find the AI talent they need, highlighting a looming AI skills gap, according to a report titled "Accelerating AI Skills: Preparing the Asia-Pacific Workforce for Jobs of the Future".
The report was commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and prepared by Access Partnership. More than 1,600 workers and 500 employers were surveyed in Thailand out of a total of 15,000 workers and nearly 5,000 organisations across nine countries in Asia-Pacific.
The interest in picking up AI skills to advance their careers covers all generations, from Gen Z (93%) to boomers (97%), as well as female workers.
"The AI wave is sweeping across Asia-Pacific, including Thailand, transforming the way businesses operate and the way we work. This will translate into higher salaries for skilled workers in Thailand," said Abhineet Kaul, director of Access Partnership.
The study found 98% of surveyed employers and workers in Thailand expect to use generative AI tools on the job by 2028.
Financial services, manufacturing, farming and services like tourism are among the top sectors to apply generative AI, with 74% of employers highlighting increasing innovation and creativity as the top benefit, followed by automating repetitive tasks (66%) and supporting learning (62%).
Most employers (97%) see IT departments, research and development, finance, business operations, sales and marketing, human resources and legal units among the top beneficiaries.
Employers in Thailand value workers with AI skills and are willing to pay at least 41% more to hire them.
This is the second highest pay in the survey, behind India at 54%, while the Asia-Pacific average is 33%, said Mr Kaul.
He added that the higher pay stems from the skills shortage and the need to accelerate AI at a fast pace.
The top motives for acquiring AI skills include job efficiency, improving job security, and curiosity.
Some 95% of female respondents and over 97% of boomers show a keen interest in AI skills to advance careers.
The productivity pay-off from an AI-skilled workforce could be immense. Surveyed employers in Thailand believe that AI can boost productivity by 58%, while workers find AI can make tasks 56% more efficient.
"Generative AI offers opportunities to transform businesses in the financial, construction, retail and industrial sectors and AI skills are imperative for the future workforce but AI will not replace humans. But an AI-skilled workforce will replace those who do not have such skills," said Vatsun Thirapatarapong, AWS Thailand's country manager.