ENHANCING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THAI BUSINESSES THROUGH SMART INNOVATION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
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Abstract
This article examines how Smart Innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies reshape the competitiveness of Thai businesses within the accelerating digital economy. Drawing from an extensive literature review, the study analyzes the structural impacts of digital transformation on productivity, customer value creation, and innovation performance. Three core organizational capabilities—Digital Capability, Data Capability, and Innovation Capability—are identified as the dynamic foundations that translate technological investment into competitive outcomes. The article synthesizes a Business Value Creation Model comprising efficiency value, customer experience value, and innovation value, demonstrating how these dimensions collectively strengthen business competitiveness. An integrated conceptual framework is proposed to illustrate the mechanisms linking Smart Innovation, AI capability, and digital transformation with organizational competitiveness through capability-driven mediation. Based on the synthesized evidence, the study offers strategic recommendations at three levels: (1) Firm level—developing data infrastructure, AI talent, automation, and data-driven culture; (2) Industry level—establishing innovation clusters, shared data platforms, and AI sandboxes; and (3) National level—advancing digital and AI workforce development, cloud–AI infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and financial incentives for SMEs. The findings highlight that Smart Innovation and AI function not merely as technological tools but as strategic enablers essential for enhancing Thailand’s long-term competitiveness and facilitating its transition toward a high-value digital economy.
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