A recent story making headlines reveals the sobering fallout of artificial intelligence’s relentless advance: a seasoned software engineer, once commanding a $150,000 annual salary, found himself abruptly replaced by AI, rejected from over 800 subsequent job applications, forced to drive for DoorDash and live in a trailer just to make ends meet (yahoo.com). His words echo a growing sentiment: “AI obsolescence is coming for basically everyone in due time.”
This account is not simply a tale of individual struggle; it is the latest bellwether of a seismic shift reverberating through the global workforce. For readers in Thailand, this signals an urgent need to examine our own societal preparation for the age of AI—a transformation that extends far beyond Silicon Valley.
The intersection of AI and employment has become a focal point for researchers, policymakers, and workers alike. As tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini have grown in sophistication, their ability to automate tasks traditionally performed by skilled professionals is reshaping industries at breakneck speed (Wikipedia). What was once confined to physical labor or routine tasks now includes roles in software engineering, customer service, media, finance, and more.
Recent industry research illuminates the scale of this disruption. In 2024 alone, the tech sector has witnessed over 136,000 job cuts across 420 companies, much of it credited to AI and automation (LinkedIn). Reports from the United Nations and PwC warn that up to 40% of jobs worldwide could be meaningfully affected by AI by the next decade, with sectors exposed to automation experiencing both layoffs and sharp gains in labor productivity (Euronews, PwC). The shift is so pronounced that Forbes lists media, tech, finance, and customer service among the fields most at risk for the earliest and deepest restructuring (Forbes). One in four CEOs expects generative AI will result in job cuts exceeding 5% in 2024 alone (Exploding Topics).
The human cost is reflected in stories like the software engineer’s. After two decades in the field, he was suddenly dispensable—his specialized knowledge now performed faster, cheaper, and at greater scale by AI. Despite intense efforts, he found no opportunities in his former area, encountering widespread job application rejections. Unable to sustain his previous lifestyle, he turned to gig work—a rising fallback for professionals displaced by technology. His experience, while dramatic, is indicative of anxieties building among the global workforce as new waves of automation place both blue-collar and white-collar roles at risk.
Yet, the experience of AI-driven job loss is not inevitable—or evenly distributed. A 2024 Bangkok Post analysis found that only around 4% of service-sector jobs in Thailand fall under the highest risk category from AI replacement (Bangkok Post). Thai industries are still characterized by significant human input, and sectors like tourism, healthcare, retail, and agriculture remain less susceptible to automation in the near term compared to their Western counterparts. However, local business leaders, referencing a 2024 PwC Thailand CEO Survey, widely acknowledge that significant shifts will occur in operations as AI technologies become more available (Kasikorn Research).
Globally, the World Economic Forum, the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations emphasize that while automation will eliminate certain jobs, it can also spur new employment in emerging sectors and create demand for new skill sets. The catch? Workers and whole societies must adapt swiftly. Those equipped with AI literacy, strong digital skills, and adaptability will be best positioned to thrive.
Leading Thai educators and government officials stress a dual approach: modernizing curricula to include digital skills from an early age and expanding upskilling opportunities for current workers. Representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation highlight ongoing initiatives to integrate coding, robotics, and data science courses into the national education system. Private sector leaders in Thailand’s burgeoning tech parks—such as those in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the Eastern Economic Corridor—report high demand for local talent able to supervise and collaborate with AI, rather than compete against it (Bangkok Post).
Nevertheless, preparing for AI’s rise also means confronting difficult cultural shifts. Thai society cherishes certain traditions in employment, such as the expectation of stable jobs and lifelong employment with a single company or ministry. The growth of the gig economy, such as rideshare and delivery services like DoorDash or local equivalents, can be unsettling for workers accustomed to more predictable paths. While these jobs offer flexible income, they usually lack social security benefits and other protections, raising broader questions about inequality and social welfare in the digital age.
This is not merely a technical or economic challenge—it is fundamentally about how societies value human labor, cope with risk, and recalibrate the relationship between people and machines. Experts urge government and private employers in Thailand to proactively manage this transition. This could mean greater support for job retraining, expansion of unemployment protections for workers displaced by AI, and deliberate policies to foster industries where human skills—empathy, negotiation, creativity, care—remain indispensable.
Looking ahead, the landscape is likely to remain volatile for at least the next decade. The rapid improvement in generative AI models and robotics means that tasks not easily automated today could soon be handled by machines. At the same time, entirely new roles—ranging from AI auditors and ethics supervisors to machine-learning translators—are emerging, some without clear job descriptions yet. For Thailand, the window of opportunity is now: invest in widespread digital literacy, encourage cross-disciplinary learning, and build a regulatory environment that encourages innovation while safeguarding livelihoods and human dignity.
For everyday Thai readers, the most actionable step is to remain proactive. Take advantage of e-learning platforms, public training programs, or private courses to develop digital competencies. Workers in all fields should seek to futureproof their careers by cultivating problem-solving, creativity, and customer-relations skills that remain beyond the reach of current AI. For parents, encouraging children’s engagement with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths), English, and entrepreneurial thinking will lay a foundation for resilience no matter how the workplace evolves.
Thailand faces both opportunity and disruption. By looking honestly at the warnings from North America and Europe, investing in people, and embracing lifelong education, the Kingdom can chart its own course through the AI era—hopefully with fewer stories of heartbreak and more tales of successful adaptation.