- True Corporation announced new guidelines to ensure ethical usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in Thailand with full respect for human rights.
- AI can benefit consumers in Thailand with better service, more sustainable products and reduced privacy risks.
- True shared how organizations in Thailand can adopt AI more effectively by focusing on people and ethics.
Bangkok – November 24, 2023 – True Corporation, the leading telecom-tech company in Thailand, announced a comprehensive strategy to ensure sustainable artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. As part of an event titled, “AI Gets Good,” the company showed how organizations and businesses can develop AI use cases, empower an AI-ready workforce and ensure high ethical standards.
Speaking at the event, True Corporation’s Deputy CEO, Sharad Mehrotra, said, “As AI keeps getting better and better at performing a range of tasks, we also need to ensure AI also gets better and better at performing these tasks ethically and safely. That is why True Corporation not only provides the technological infrastructure for organizations in Thailand to adopt AI, but we are also sharing True Corporation’s charter for ethical AI adoption. We believe an integrated approach that considers technology, people and ethics is critical for Thailand to harness the power of AI.”
AI-EMPOWERED HUMANS
Machine learning is already used by True Corporation in customer services, where it reduces errors and protects customers’ data. Mr. Mehrotra announced that AI will enable 100% of True and dtac shops to go paperless by 2023. By 2027, the company targets 100% automation for all routine tasks.
As of now, agents in shops and call centers already rely on AI-powered solutions that instantly diagnose issues, make more relevant recommendations, and reduce handling times by 35%. This is in addition to AI-powered chatbots which process 150,000 customer requests per month. To further accelerate the adoption of such solutions, True Corporation is training 200 citizen developers by 2027. Citizen developers use tools that require little to no programming skills to digitalize manual processes.
Dr. Chonnikarn Jira, Head of True Digital Academy, explained that AI upskilling is urgent for Thailand: “At True Digital Academy, we believe in the power of human and AI together: that roles can be augmented and complemented by artificial intelligence. That’s why we look at AI from both the technical perspective and the business perspective. We teach hard skills like data science and analytics but also other relevant knowledge and skills for the age of AI, such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship and leadership skills,” said Dr. Chonnikarn.
True Corporation also uses machine learning in its networks to predict usage at individual sites in real time. During moments of low usage, unused equipment can be switched off without affecting customer experience, reducing energy usage by 10-15%. This can contribute significantly to the company’s climate targets of 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
In addition to embedding AI in its own service channels and operations, True Corporation is also making AI technology available to its business customers. True Digital Group has developed solutions in retail, agriculture and health that combine data from IoT devices, 5G connectivity and machine learning. From smart hospitals to smart farms and smart retail, machine learning improves safety, speeds up logistics and reduces energy consumption.
ETHICS FOR RESPONSIBLE AI
AI can be a powerful tool for responsible business. But because AI processes large amounts of data and makes decisions that can profoundly affect society, it also poses new risks. True Corporation is therefore committing to an AI charter that outlines four principles for its ethical usage:
- Good Intent: AI should only be used to benefit humans.
- Fairness and Bias Mitigation: AI should not discriminate.
- Data Privacy and AI Functionality: Full respect for customer data and the law.
- Transparency: AI decisions should be explainable.
Speaking in a panel on ethical AI, Dr. Chaichana Mitrpant, Executive Director, Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), said: “To responsibly use AI, organizations need a framework for appropriate and transparent use so that the application of AI in all sectors has minimal risk and adverse impact on users, thereby increasing competitiveness and increasing the proportion of added value of the country’s digital economy. We must therefore ensure that the ecosystem for the country’s electronic transactions is reliable, secure, and instills confidence in usage.”
He was joined on the panel by Asst. Prof. Dr. Jittat Fakcharoenphol, Vice-Chair of the Computer Engineering Department, Kasetsart University, and translator of the recently published “The Ethical Algorithm.” Asst. Prof. Jittat stated: “Artificial Intelligence has significant potential to boost productivity and social improvement in Thailand. However, developing and deploying AI systems carelessly may also cause harm. Therefore, it is crucial for corporations to adhere to principles like fairness and transparency when investing in AI development for societal benefit.”
True Corporation therefore recommends ethical principles for its AI usage that can guide business operations to go beyond compliance to the Personal Data and Protection Act. For example, True’s AI charter draws attention to the risk of bias in AI, which can be mitigated by ensuring decisions made by algorithms can be explained in terms humans can understand.
“By committing to high ethical standards and providing the infrastructure for AI adoption across Thailand, True Corporation is realizing its role as a telecom-tech leader. These are the foundations for AI to play a transformative role in improving lives and advancing the economy,” Mr. Mehrotra concluded.
