Key Takeaways: 45th ASEAN Innovation Business Platform Conference & Exhibition Thailand (Day 1)
The 45th edition of the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform (AIBP) Conference and Exhibition took place over 2 days in Bangkok, Thailand on 16 - 17 July 2024.
The conference commenced with the keynote address delivered by Professor Wisit Wisitsora-at, Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES). He shared about how the Thai government is working on several initiatives to ensure that the digital divide does not widen including:
Education programs
Lowering the cost of technology, for both individuals and businesses
The government is working to digitise most of its services and move databases to the cloud, which will result in more availability of public sector data. This includes digitalising its procurement system, and encouraging proof of concepts for moving onto the cloud.
Keynote Panel: Gaining an Edge: How Data and Artificial Intelligence Can Fuel Thailand's Digital Leap
Following the keynote, a panel discussion titled “Gaining an Edge: How Data and Artificial Intelligence Can Fuel Thailand's Digital Leap” was moderated by Natasak Rodjanapiches, Vice Chairman of the Creative Digital Economy Committee at the Board of Trade of Thailand and AIBP Advisory Board Member. The panel featured:
Dr. Pradit Somprakit, Senior CIO, Group 1 & Managing Director, Greenline Synergy, BDMS Group
Dr. Shuki Idan, Chief Data Scientist, Data X
Tititorn Semangern, Senior Director, Hybrid Cloud Solutions Engineering ASEAN, Oracle
David Florijn, Chief Information Officer, Thai Union
Charin Thiratitayangkul, Vice President of Digital Government Strategy Department, Digital Government Development Agency (DGA)
Key takeaways from the discussion highlighted
Managing costs of AI and technology investments by focusing on industries including tourism, manufacturing and healthcare that are major sources of revenue, from which solutions can be adapted from international use cases. Businesses are also working to align digital strategies to business objectives
Nurturing a culture of continuous improvement, even in the face of failure, especially as continuous improvement are important aspects of AI/innovation, and smaller startups may offer more of such opportunities
Importance of Robust Government Support is needed to invest in startups and small companies through funding and promoting risk-taking.
Addressing the Talent Shortage:
Dr. Shuki Idan gave a personal example of two top talents within his team to illustrate how countries/businesses in ASEAN can tap on (currently untapped) local talent:
One was an individual who went to a top university locally and proceeded to do a postgrad in a premier American school
The other came from a suburban province, could hardly speak English, but had an established work portfolio and has gone from strength to strength since
Both are succeeding, and will continue to do so, but the paths have been, and will likely continue to, differ. Initiatives by governments and companies to unearth and nurture these talents can be a natural edge in this new economy.
AI is continuous, failure and improvement. This is part of the game… The approach should be to use experimentation, because you will never get it the first time, and you can always improve. So we need to get to the point you have something feasible, do the experiment, see what the results are. Collect the data, and data collection should continue, even when you're in production, and you should go to improvement and continuous improvement. So this is the thing. Data is the fuel in this case, and data is the thing that you need to continue monitoring, because things change, data change. You know, the economy changes, people have to change. So it's not something that you do in the lab and you have a solution like you do software, something that continues to improve and this is important to think about.
- Dr. Shuki Idan, Chief Data Scientist, Data X
To leverage AI applications effectively, companies must prioritise the collection and organisation of their data, ensuring it continues even after projects go live to maintain relevance and accuracy. In the healthcare sector, vast amounts of patient data can be analysed using AI to expedite diagnoses and potentially enable personalised treatments.
The digitisation of the public sector will lead to more open government data, which private sector companies can utilise, provided they adequately prepare their data. Additionally, analysing industry-specific economic trends, regulations, and other factors through available data can help companies develop IT strategies that align with their business objectives. As data collection, sharing, and analysis increase across organisations and sectors, ensuring robust data security and privacy becomes crucial.
Shaping Tomorrow: Automation in the Future Workplace
Digitalisation in the workplace encompasses a spectrum of digital technologies and rapidly evolving applications, spanning from digital communication and information tools (ICT) to robots and artificial intelligence (AI). Recent years have witnessed an accelerated digital evolution of numerous workplaces across ASEAN, and opinions regarding the advantages and drawbacks of digital technologies' impact are highly divergent.
How can leaders rationalise investments in digital tools while simultaneously ensuring the continuity of employment for their workforce?
Panel: Innovation at Pace: The Agile Approach to Excellence
In the panel session, "Innovation at Pace: The Agile Approach to Excellence," which was moderated by Arnold Consengco, Regional VP, South East Asia/Greater China Region, OutSystems, the panel featured:
Jennifer Villalobos, Chief Digitalisation Officer, Asset World Corporation
Tependra Lohumi, Chief Technology & Digital Officer, Betagro Group
Nopparat Khaohirun, VP Head of Smart Automation & Data Analytics, Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc.
Sanya Chindaprasert, Enterprise Digital Director, SCGC - SCG Chemicals Chemicals
Mitree Prasanatikom (Mike), VP, IT Innovation & Mobility as a Services, Toyota Leasing Thailand
Key Takeaways of the discussion highlighted:
Top considerations for evaluating technology include cost, system capabilities, and flexibility. Cost is the primary factor, and flexibility is crucial for implementing changes internally to avoid higher external costs.
Innovation should begin with understanding customer and partner pain points, with design thinking playing a crucial role in developing new business models and strategies.
Building a knowledgeable workforce is a long-term commitment. Developing a citizen developer program requires sustained effort over several years to ensure employees understand process improvement, RPA, and data analytics.
Financial viability, fostering innovation through design thinking, and committing to long-term workforce development are essential for successful digital transformation.
As workplaces across ASEAN increasingly adopt digitalisation, industry leaders highlight the need for a balanced approach that emphasises financial viability, innovation, and workforce development. By focusing on these critical areas, organisations can successfully navigate the complexities of digital transformation and create a workplace that is ready for the future.
“Number one is financials. I don't think any of us select a product without looking at the number, right. Number two criteria which we look at is the capability of the system. And I think one thing which I want to be more focused on and in which is what we are focusing on is flexibility of the system, and I think it covers some of the things that other panelists talked about is how easy it is to change. Right? Can I do it ourselves? Can I not depend on somebody external, which might lead to higher costs? Again back to criteria number one. People is the third one, which is the most important criteria. And it's not just with reference to how many people know that system, or how many people know that technology, right? If you have the right people for the right job, we will be able to deliver.”
- Tependra Lohumi, Chief Technology & Digital Officer, Betagro Group
Thailand 4.0 & Smart Sustainability
Sustainability is crucial in Industry 4.0 as it ensures that technological advancements contribute to long-term ecological balance, economic viability, and social well-being. By embedding sustainability into digital transformation, industries can reduce their environmental footprint, enhance operational efficiency, and foster innovation that aligns with global sustainability goals.
Panel: Smart Sustainability: Digital Approaches for Responsible Growth
In the panel session, "Smart Sustainability: Digital Approaches for Responsible Growth," moderated by YY Fong, VP, AIBP, the panel featured:
Suwat Meemook, EVP, Digital Organisation, Bangchak
Thossaporn Petporee, Senior Vice President, Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF)
Dr. Akarin Suwannarat, Executive Vice President, Special Assistant to CEO, Energy Absolute
Tun Liangpaiboon, Head of Venture Builder, INNOPOWER
Tanet Ingsakulrungruang, Industrial Technology Division Manager, PTT PCL
Key takeaways from the discussion highlighted:
Utilising digital / Industry 4.0 technologies like IoT, virtual twins, and data analytics can help to drive sustainability initiatives.
Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technologies can help in reducing emissions and removing carbon from the atmosphere to combat climate change.
Sustainability can be integrated into business strategies with examples from various industries that showcase how technology can be used to integrate sustainability into business strategies and goals.
Using data collected from IoT implementation can help to drive cost savings, productivity improvements, and achieve sustainability targets.
Large organisations are trying to overcome barriers to adopt new technologies by starting small, proving impact/ROI, and scaling solutions.
Khun Suwat also highlighted that Bangchak's sustainability efforts are not only focused on internal operations but also on creating new business opportunities by engaging with potential customers. The Winnonie project is a prime example, born from the combined efforts of IT, engineering, and environmental teams, addressing a common problem identified through discussions with motorcycle taxi drivers. Khun Thossaporn emphasised the importance of integrating zero-carbon initiatives and data analytics to drive productivity improvements and achieve sustainability targets. CPF has successfully implemented data-driven solutions to reduce their carbon footprint and promote Thailand as a global food brand.
For the past two or three years, we embarked on major data management and then we have a data analytic team to give everyone the knowledge of data analytics. As a company with a lot of specialists (and engineers) who come up with totally different viewpoints in terms of cost savings, in terms of bringing new practices… we create different conditions - no investment besides data, no financial input required, minimal hardware required. For example, we have different types of multiple types of markets, and for our freezers, we always set the standard temperature applied to all the products. So with data alone, the engineering team looking after that factory comes up with a new way to set up for different products because they have data, with just 2 billion baht per month. We have six machines like this and it's purely based on data, and we turn that also into decreasing carbon footprint as well.
- Thossaporn Petporee, Senior Vice President, Charoen Pokphand Foods
These examples underscore the importance of starting with small pilots, proving impact, and scaling successful initiatives to achieve sustainability goals. Collectively, these efforts demonstrate how technology can drive both sustainability and business growth, paving the way for a more innovative and environmentally conscious future.
Stay tuned for more updates from Day 2 of the 45th ASEAN Innovation Business Platform Conference & Exhibition Thailand
Find out more about our 2024 AIBP Conference and Exhibition in ASEAN:
46th Edition, AIBP C&E Indonesia, Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan, 6 - 7 August 2024
47th Edition, AIBP C&E Malaysia, W Hotel KL, 4 - 5 September 2024
48th Edition, AIBP C&E Philippines, City of Dreams Manila, 17 - 18 September 2024
