SCBX Launches First “thAI Consumer AI Adoption 2026”
Report, Revealing Thai Consumers’ True Expectations for AI
80% of Thais already use AI—but still lack confidence to
adopt it deeply; SCBX introduces 9 AIera consumer profiles
Bangkok, 28 January 2026 — SCBX today released “thAI Consumer AI Adoption 2026,” Thailand’s first comprehensive consumerinsights study focused on Thai consumers behaviors, attitudes, expectations, and concerns surrounding artificial intelligence, particularly in financial services. The report seeks to answer a pivotal question: What do Thai consumers truly want AI to do for them?
Drawing from empirical research across generations, professions, and digitalskill levels, the report provides a realistic view of today’s Thai AI Reality, which differs substantially from global datasets. It serves as a crucial reference for Thai organizations looking to design AIenabled financial products or services driven by real consumer needs—not by technological sophistication alone.
Thai Consumers Are Familiar with AI, but Confidence Remains Low
The study found that over 90% of Thai consumers are aware of AI, and more than 80% use it regularly, mostly through familiar applications such as contentrecommendation systems, search tools, translation apps, and automated features in banking applications. However, only 16% qualify as “fullpotential AI users.”
Most consumers fall into groups that “use AI selectively for convenience” or “see its benefits but still do not fully trust it.” This highlights a significant gap between actual usage and true understanding within the Thai market.
The 9 AIEra Consumer Profiles in Thailand
The study identifies nine distinct profiles based on usage patterns and attitudes toward AI:
1. Proformance (5%) – Uses AI as a tool to generate results and achieve success.
2. Life Optimizer (8%) – Uses AI to elevate daily living, making it faster and smarter.
3. Smart Minimalist (36%) – Uses AI with intelligent moderation; uses it only as necessary, avoiding the hype to focus on where real benefits are seen.
4. Skeptical Practitioner (34%) – Open to using AI but remains wary of certain aspects.
5. Silent Doubter (10%) – Uses AI but feel uncertain or hesitant to admit it.
6. Accidental Adopter (4%) – Uses AI without realizing they are using it.
7. Unaware Trialist (3%) – Uses AI unknowingly but are starting to learn how it works.
8. Curious Speculator (0.2%) – Watching the trend, waiting to see where AI goes before adopting.
9. Digital Rejector (0.1%) – Rejects new technology and does not want AI to replace human.
The two largest segments—Smart Minimalist and Skeptical Practitioner, collectively accounting for approximately 70% of all Thai consumers. These groups are critical for organizations to address, particularly in terms of safety, simplicity, and transparency.
Three key AI User segments Powering AI adoption in Thailand:
1). Smart Minimalist, 2) Life Optimizer, and 3) Proformance.
Safety and Complexity Concerns Remain Major Barriers
In financial services, the report highlights five key concerns among Thai consumers:
• Transferring to suspicious accounts (60%)
• Fear of fraud/hacking leading to loss of savings (59%)
• Having to manually compare loans or refinance options (57%)
• Having to manually track credit card promotions (55%)
• Overwhelming investment options/ Lack of understanding of investment terms (52%)
Consumers want AI to reduce complexity, minimize repetitive tasks, and increase financial safety, rather than offer hightech features that are difficult to use.
Mr. Sutirapan Sakkawatra, Chief Customer Officer at SCBX, explained “This report began with one simple but crucial question: Do customers see us as the AIfirst organization we believe we are? While AI adoption within our organization has accelerated in recent years, we realized that consumer perception may not have advanced at the same pace. We needed to understand what Thai consumers genuinely want from AI—not from an organizational standpoint, but from the reality of their everyday lives.”
“Becoming an AIfirst organization starts not with cuttingedge technology, but with understanding, trust, and user expectations. If AI cannot meet these fundamental needs, it can never become a meaningful part of customers’ financial lives. At SCBX, we believe in meaningful AI that ‘matters’—AI that alleviates concerns, simplifies financial tasks, and collaborates with humans in harmony. That’s how people will truly step into the new era of financial innovation with confidence.” Mr. Sutirapan added
Ms. Yada Sareesavetrat, Senior Consumer Insights and Market Research Management Expert at SCBX, also commented “The findings clearly show that while Thai consumers already use AI in daily life, adoption of AI in advanced financial management remains far below potential. Concerns about safety, accuracy, and transparency persist. Designing AI for the Thai market must start with trust and simplicity. Human-in-the-loop remains essential, especially in highrisk financial services. To encourage more advanced AI adoption in areas like financial analysis, portfolio management, or automated recommendations, AI must be explainable, verifiable, and trustworthy.”
Three Critical Dimensions for Thai Organizations to Become Truly AIFirst
• Trust Design – Designing trust into the core experience
Every service should be able to explain why the system makes a specific recommendation, what data is utilized, and how that data is protected. Transparency must not be an add-on; it must be a core feature.
• Human Validation – Balancing humanity with technology
Thai consumers still desire a ‘final human confirmation.’ This is not due to a lack of faith in the system, but a belief in human participation. A ‘Human-in-th-Loop’ approach will achieve significantly higher acceptance.
• Meaningful Simplicity – Transforming complexity into accessibility
Thai consumers do not fear complex technology; they fear experiences that feel inaccessible. Enabling systems to communicate in natural human language, understand various dialects, or seamlessly integrate different services is the true secret weapon.
New Opportunities for Thai Fintech: From Interest to Real Adoption
While Thai consumers show strong interest in AI, actual usage in financial contexts remains below potential. Solving challenges around safety, complexity, and understanding could allow AI to become a natural part of everyday life—from risk alerts to personalized financial guidance.
AI Is Becoming Thailand’s New Consumer Infrastructure
The SCBX report serves as a critical roadmap reflecting the real needs of Thai consumers in the AI era. Organizations that build AI experiences grounded in trust, simplicity, and transparency will be the ones that form lasting relationships with consumers in the next chapter of Thailand’s new financial landscape.
Download the full report “SCBX Report: thAI Consumer AI Adoption 2026” at: https://www.scbx.com/th/scbx-exclusive/thai-consumer-ai-adoption/
########
0 Comments