So the goal is control?

Thailand appears highly optimistic about artificial intelligence, yet the country’s reluctance to let AI make decisions on its own has been framed as a problem to overcome. That contradiction sits at the heart of this commentary.

The Ipsos Global Insights 2026 survey found that 72% of Thais said AI-powered products and services had profoundly changed their daily lives over the previous three to five years. That figure exceeded the 54% average across 32 countries. Looking ahead, 78% expected AI to transform their lives over the next three to five years, compared with a global average of 66%.

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Nearly three in four Thais (72%) say products and services using AI have profoundly changed their daily lives over the past three to five years, significantly higher than the 32-country average of 54%.

Yet only 10% said they were willing to let AI act by default. The article questions why embracing new technology should require people to surrender control over their own decisions. The survey focused on interactions between brands and consumers, but the services under discussion included changing credit-card or overdraft conditions, moving savings between accounts or into investments, and handling insurance disputes.

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Looking ahead, 78% believe AI will profoundly change their lives in the next three to five years, compared with a global average of 66%.

The argument is not presented as a rejection of AI. Technological progress, the article says, cannot simply be denied, and artificial intelligence will bring both benefits and risks. The concern is the assumption that retaining human decision-making autonomy is bad for business, or that success means allowing virtual assistants to make major choices.

The article also warns that Thailand is still dealing with the social damage associated with earlier technologies. It points to recurring reports of social-media addiction and robot scammers, and says that embedding a powerful new technology more deeply into people’s lives could be irresponsible while those problems remain unresolved.

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Some Thais may be embracing services powered by artificial intelligence, but they are not ready to hand over control, with only 10% willing to let AI act by default.