On Friday, June 21, 2024, PRTR hosted the groundbreaking People Strategy Summit 2024 – Beyond AI: Building a Future Powered by People.
This event brought together perspectives from both the public and private sectors across various industries. Top executives from leading organizations shared their experiences, visions, and invaluable insights to guide us in preparing our workforce for a world on the brink of disruption by AI and technology.
Risara Charoenpanich, CEO of PRTR Group PCL, set the stage by addressing a crucial point: technological disruption isn’t a new phenomenon. As an HR solution provider with extensive experience in recruitment, hiring, payroll, and talent development, PRTR has observed that many organizations still view technology as a distant concept, believing AI is solely the domain of IT departments.
However, the advent of ChatGPT has begun to change this perception, making people realize that AI is closer to their daily work than they thought. Surveys show that while Thais are generally receptive to technology, those truly skilled in this area are scarce. To put it in perspective, only 16% of Thais use technology to enhance their work efficiency, and a mere 1% are genuinely proficient in technology – numbers that lag behind our neighboring countries.
This realization was the driving force behind organizing this summit. The hope is that the knowledge shared during the event will be applicable to people within organizations, as we firmly believe that “people are the key to success.”
The summit covered four main topics:
1. The Global AI Landscape: Act Now or Fall Behind
Supparat Sivapetchranat Singhara na Ayutthaya, CEO of ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (Thailand), explained that while AI has been around for a while, its recent boom is due to increased accessibility and ease of use. Today, AI can be applied to various fields, including marketing, making previously challenging creative tasks easier and faster.
However, regardless of how advanced technology becomes, people remain crucial. In the AI era, the key to success is having a mindset ready to learn and understand three critical aspects:
- The evolving technology
- Customer needs and how AI can benefit them
- Regulations and guidelines
Without understanding these three areas, business success will be significantly delayed.
2. Future-Ready Organizations: Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Human Readiness
Panuwat Benrohman, Head of Work & Rewards for Thailand & Indochina WTW, highlighted that we’re in a period of transition. While some view technology as a replacement for human workers, others see it as a solution to enhance efficiency.
For technology implementation to be more than 80% successful, organizations must:
- Develop clear strategies, including which platforms to use and define clear work directions
- Create a precise customer journey that addresses real pain points
Panuwat emphasized that it’s not AI that will replace people, but rather those who can use AI effectively will replace those who can’t. We should adapt ourselves and our organizations to be resilient, like a wildfire that can’t be easily extinguished.
Upskilling and reskilling are inevitable. People should have a main job, a side job, and most importantly, pursue their interests – as these interests might lead to new income streams and careers in the future.
3. AI-Driven Mentorship: The Future of Professional Growth
Artikhun Phaoenchoke Mcdonald, COO of Eazy Car Thairung Group, posed an intriguing question: If you had a personal AI mentor, like Warren Buffett, coaching and advising you 24/7, would you want it?
A survey from America shows that 86% of employees prefer to work for companies with good mentors, and 9 out of 10 people report feeling happier with a mentor. While finding a good mentor can be challenging, AI-driven mentorship offers a solution.
To create an effective AI mentor model, Atikun recommended focusing on three pillars:
- Input detailed information about yourself or your company
- Provide personal information, including your resume, passions, life goals, and strengths/weaknesses
- Define your mentor’s characteristics, including short-term and long-term goals, and choose a role model perspective (e.g., Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, or Lady Gaga)
The benefits of AI-driven mentorship are substantial. Imagine having an AI as one of your closest confidants, embodying the expertise of any successful individual – the potential for personal growth is immense.
4. People Strategy: The Human-Centered Approach in the AI Revolution
The final segment featured a panel discussion with four distinguished speakers:
Chutima Sribumrungsart, Advisor & Independent Board Director for Organisation Capability and Sustainability; Sam Tanskul, Managing Director of Krungsri Finnovate; Dr.Wit Sittivaekin, host of 8 Minute History & Morning Wealth; and
Chananyarak Phetcharat, Board Director at ttb & Former CEO of DHL, Motorola & Oracle.
Key takeaways include:
- Disruption has occurred throughout history, from the industrial revolution to the digital age. Humans have always adapted and thrived.
- An open mindset is crucial for survival and growth in the face of new developments.
- AI has improved customer service in banking, handling simple queries and allowing human agents to focus on more complex issues.
- While AI excels at logic and data processing, human qualities like empathy, creativity, and complex problem-solving remain irreplaceable.
- In HR, AI can assist with various tasks from writing job descriptions to coaching managers on improving team KPIs.
- For successful AI implementation in organizations, leadership must have a positive mindset towards change.
- Leaders in the AI era must continuously develop themselves, use AI as a partner in achieving success, while maintaining essential human qualities like empathy, understanding, active listening, and respect for others.
