Artificial intelligence (AI) is already integrated into the private and public sectors across Asia, and companies are optimistic about its potential to improve not only efficiency but also personal welfare, according to officials at top technology firms.
At the "Deep Think: How AI will Change the World" event, sponsored by the Bangkok Post, top executives from global giants like Google, Lazada, Microsoft and IBM and local powerhouses like Advanced Info Services (AIS) gave their thoughts on how AI will change the world.
Despite public concerns about automation pushing out large swathes of the workforce, or the more sci-fi fears of AI turning against human controllers, the executives are confident in AI's ability to move both technology and humanity forward.
AI FOR GOOD
Pratthana Leelapanang, chief consumer business officer at AIS, says AI is critical to improving the customer experience.
The company has gone so far as introducing a moving robot at one of its flagship stores in Phuket with an AI interface that can answer questions and guide customers around the store.
"To serve our customers we use a lot of automated AI, combined with a lot of human work," he said. "When customers come into a store we have started to use facial recognition to greet customers correctly at the front of the store and allow us to have an associate to help them right away."
AI is also critical for AIS to maintain service quality. The technology can alert the company for maintenance on 100,000 way stations and detect problems and gaps in internet and cellular service.
"AI helps us maintain service standards significantly more than any other processes," Mr Pratthana said. "We need AI to do a better job for our customers to serve a changing world with changing demands."
Sherie Ng, general manager of the public sector at Microsoft Asia-Pacific, was brimming with optimism about the future of AI, despite scepticism and fears over job replacement.
Microsoft's programme "AI for Good" is using AI to help improve farm productivity, reduce traffic accidents and prevent disease outbreaks.
"We are working with PTT to improve safety and reduce accidents for their drivers," Ms Ng said. "We are using facial recognition technology and use AI in the algorithm to predict behaviours."
AI is used to look at drivers' faces to see if they are at risk of falling asleep or inattentive while driving. Ms Ng said these types of technology could eliminate traffic accidents altogether.
"We can all embrace technology and leverage it to not just co-exist, but help human beings exist," she said. "AI can be a catalyst to solve a lot of human problems."
The company is also working with farmers to use sensor drones, AI and machine learning to analyse soil and increase farming productivity. Ms Ng said that by 2050 the human population will likely reach 10 billion people, so drastically improving crop efficiency is necessary to provide sufficient food.
AI can even use mosquitoes as sensors to detect breeding areas and risk behaviours to track the likelihood of an outbreak so healthcare professionals can be prepared.
COLLABORATION, NOT REPLACEMENT
Patama Chantaruck, managing director of IBM Thailand and vice-president for Indochina, said machines have already changed the world. AI will not replace humans but instead will integrate and enhance human intelligence.
She said AI systems can lead to a new partnership between humans and machines that excel at identifying pattern recognition, languages, machine learning and biases.
AI ignites collaboration and augmented human capacity and powers real-time information to predict maintenance issues. AI also helps anticipate and pre-empt disruptions by hundred of millions in costs saved each year and predictions three months in advance.
Ms Patama said there are misuses of AI. Ethics programmes should be set up for accessible, reversible, fundamental inclusivity that helps increase trust and transparency.
"Businesses that embrace and transform technology will survive, as evidenced in the past 64 years," Ms Patama said. "Only 10% of companies in the Fortune 500 survive technology disruption.
"IBM is in the third phase of AI development in seven decades of AI research. In 2019, IBM has a debater project that has AI capable of arguing with humans, using reason."
Businesses and workforces need to embrace change because AI is here, she said.
"Keep learning by individual and build learning culture into the organisations," Ms Patama said. "If you don't adopt the change, [the organisation] might die."
James Dong, chief executive of Lazada Thailand, an e-commerce arm of Alibaba Group, says Lazada embraced AI to make a better experience for customers in three areas: logistics to make shorter routes for deliveries and classified massive products, personalisation for data privacy, and product search improvements.
Alibaba is starting to use AI for customer services like chatbots and voice recognition to offload massive merchants and customers.
But Mr Dong said the human touch, which is the willingness to make customers happy and feel welcome, can never be replaced by machines.
He said the algorithm of machines also needs humans for development and training.
"A skilled workforce needs to be eager and hungry to change the core culture at Alibaba," Mr Dong said.
He also agreed with Ms Patama's sentiment that firms need a hardline code of ethics to deal with the unforeseen negative ramifications of AI, such as creating bias and inequality of outcome.
