Unleashing AI: Transforming Industries, Empowering Futures
The MIT Industrial Liaison Program presents "2025 MIT Bangkok Symposium - Unleashing AI: Transforming Industries, Empowering Futures," a symposium focused on the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various industries. As AI technologies rapidly evolve, businesses are faced with unprecedented opportunities to enhance productivity, innovate processes, and redefine operational models. Attendees will gain insights from leading MIT researchers and industry experts on how AI can drive efficiency, accelerate decision-making, and enable sustainable growth. automation, advanced analytics, and machine learning while addressing challenges such as ethical AI use, workforce transformation, and data governance. By bringing together academia and business leaders, this symposium will provide a forward-looking perspective on how AI can empower businesses to navigate future disruptions, foster innovation, and create a more resilient and adaptable industrial landscape.
Senior Director, MIT Corporate Relations
Mr. Todd Glickman joined the Industrial Liaison Program in January 2000, serving as the MIT liaison for companies worldwide, and joined the senior management of the office in 2005.
Prior to joining ILP, Mr. Glickman was Assistant Executive Director of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the professional society for meteorologists, which is based in Boston. At AMS, Mr. Glickman's responsibilities included strategic planning for conferences, headquarters' liaison with AMS member boards and committees, support to the AMS Council, and public relations. In addition, Todd was Managing Editor for the AMS Glossary of Meteorology (2nd edition).
From 1979 to 1994, Todd held a variety of positions with WSI Corporation of Billerica, MA, including Manager, New Product Development, Media Marketing Manager, and Manager of the Government Program Office. WSI was a pioneer in the development of real-time weather information, providing value-added information and workstations for clients in media, aviation, industry, academia, and government. Some of Mr. Glickman's projects included development of the weather data/information infrastructure for The Weather Channel; the introduction of digital satellite and radar imagery for television; planning and implementation of a network of weather briefing systems for the Federal Aviation Administration; and serving as liaison with the National Weather Service and professional organizations. In addition, Mr. Glickman was instrumental in helping to develop the public-private partnership between the weather information industry and the Federal government.
Concurrently, Mr. Glickman has a more than 30-year career as a radio meteorologist, and has been heard on dozens of stations nationwide. Today, he can be heard occasionally on all-news WCBS Newsradio-88 in New York City. He has chaired numerous meteorological conferences and symposia, and served on a number of boards and committees for the American Meteorological Society (AMS). He was awarded the AMS Seal of Approval for Radio Weathercasting in 1979, and was elected a Fellow of the AMS in 1997.
Mr. Glickman's interests include transportation systems of all types, and he is an officer and past-trustee of the Seashore Trolley Museum of Kennebunkport, Maine. At MIT, Mr. Glickman is an officer and trustee of the Technology Broadcasting Corporation, which oversees the campus radio station WMBR-FM. He also volunteers as the academic advisor to a group of MIT freshman.
General Manager, True Digital Park
Dr. Tarit Nimmanwudipong is the General Manager of True Digital Park, Southeast Asia’s largest tech and startup ecosystem in the heart of Bangkok CyberTech district. He is responsible for new business development, product commercialization, and partnerships aiming for building True Digital Park to be a global hub for innovation by bringing startups, multinational companies, incubators, accelerators, venture capital, and the public sector together under one roof, to provide the complete innovation-focused ecosystem for all.
Prior to joining True Corp, he worked at Roland Berger managing digital transformation projects for clients from both the public and private sectors. Tarit is an engineer by training, holding a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California Davis with Postdoctoral training at MIT.
W. Eric L. Grimson, the Bernard M. Gordon Professor of Medical Engineering and professor of computer science and engineering, is the interim vice president for open learning and has served as the chancellor for academic advancement at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) since fall 2013. As one of the Institute’s most senior academic officers, he is a central advisor to President Sally Kornbluth on the Institute’s fundraising campaign’s shape and strategy.
Grimson previously served as chancellor of MIT. In this role, he had oversight responsibility for graduate and undergraduate education at MIT, student life, student services, and other areas that impact student experience. Together with the provost, he acted as advisor to the president in areas of strategic planning, faculty appointments, resource development, and Institute resources and buildings.
A member of the MIT faculty since 1984, Grimson was head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from 2005 to 2011, associate department head from 2004 to 2005, and education officer from 2001 to 2004.
Grimson is internationally recognized for his research in computer vision, especially in applications in medical image analysis. He and his students have applied computer vision methods to medical image analysis, built systems used to help neurosurgeons plan and execute minimally invasive surgeries, and designed methods to measure changes in brain structures caused by diseases such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s.
Grimson has been actively engaged with students throughout his career. For 25 years, he lectured 6.001 Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, and for the past 10 years, he has co-lectured 6.0001 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming and 6.0002 Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science. He has also taught undergraduate subjects in computer architecture, software engineering, computer vision, and signal processing. Since 2013, he has been engaged in teaching 6.00x Introduction to Computer Science and Programming, an MITx online MOOC with roughly 2,000,000 registrants. In all, Grimson has taught more than 20,000 MIT undergraduates and served as the thesis supervisor to almost 50 MIT PhDs.
Grimson is a native of Saskatchewan, Canada. He received his BSc degree with high honors in mathematics and physics from the University of Regina in 1975 and his PhD in mathematics in 1980 from MIT. He is a recipient of the Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching in the School of Engineering at MIT. He is a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). He holds a doctor of letters honoris causa from Dalhousie University, a doctor of science honoris causa from the University of Saskatchewan, and a doctor of science honoris causa from the University of Regina. In 2011, the University of Regina honored him with the Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes an alumnus who has distinguished himself or herself on a regional, national, or international basis.
Yunus is the co-founder and CTO of Almond FinTech. His work centers around promoting equitable access to technology across many fields. Before Almond, Yunus held leadership roles in early-stage ventures commercializing cutting-edge medical research and devised low-tech approaches to poverty alleviation in rural Southeast Asia. He is the author of several patents and scientific papers across medtech, additive manufacturing, and robotics. Yunus holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has recently been named among Singapore's 30 and Under Fintech Leaders.
Almond FinTech is setting the new standard of how money moves across borders. Using Almond's infrastructure, financial institutions around the world send and receive funds with minimal loss and at the speed of the internet. Born out of MIT and Harvard, Almond's proprietary tech optimizes the routing for each transfer through multiple blockchains to identify the best path. The result is reliable, fast and affordable money transfers. The solution is equally applicable for foreign workers who send $100 to their families and businesses who pay $1M to a foreign supplier. Almond currently operates in 10+ countries in the Americas and APAC, and supports 40+ forex currency pairs.
Abhi Yadav is a serial entrepreneur and AI innovator at the forefront of customer experience, identity, and AI. As the CEO of iCustomer, a pioneering decision intelligence company, he spearheads advancements in omnichannel customer personalization and marketing optimization. With a proven track record of building and successfully exiting enterprise AI software startups in Customer Data Platform (CDP) and consumer identity spaces, Abhi has transformed digital transformation for global leaders like GM, Nike, Travellers, Google and Cisco across the US and Asia Pacific. His expertise spans Insurance, banking, consumer goods, and high-tech sectors. Abhi also co-founded the AI Innovators Community (AIC), a prestigious network of over 1,000 curated corporate, academic, and startup executives driving applied AI innovation. His actionable insights on overcoming AI adoption challenges and maximizing its potential stem from extensive collaborations with Fortune 500 companies and cutting-edge startups. An alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with both engineering and MBA degrees, Abhi is on a mission of AI-driven, privacy-compliant personalization with data to decision intelligence for business teams.
Struggling to take action on your customer data? Marketing and go-to-market teams often face challenges in turning vast data into actionable insights. You know your first-party data is valuable, but unlocking its full potential and enriching it with third-party intelligence can be daunting. Our innovative Decision Intelligence & Orchestration platform seamlessly integrates and enriches your customer data, eliminating the need for a large tech stack or data operations teams. With relevant third-party intelligence and AI-driven workflows, you can enhance customer acquisition rates, improve engagement strategies, and streamline GTM operations. The results? Reduced customer acquisition costs, increased customer lifetime value, and a more optimized tech stack. Imagine achieving up to 10x improvement in your marketing performance with iCustomer's AI Copilot.
Anuj Bhalla is an entrepreneur, data scientist, MIT Sloan Fellow, and blue-chip consultant with more than 15 years of experience consulting the customer service industry. Anuj led the Service Analytics practice at Accenture where he worked with some of the largest companies in the world. Being a graduate of UC Berkeley with a Bachelor's in Applied Mathematics, Anuj is a data scientist and mathematician at heart. Before founding serviceMob, Anuj graduated from MIT Sloan with an MBA and was honored with the Sloan Fellowship. Anuj was featured in Entrepreneur magazine, Forbes, and was recognized by MIT as a Top 25 MIT startup founder. Anuj brings his decades of industry and technology experience to serviceMob where he is redefining the world of customer service and is making all of our service experiences better as a result.
ServiceMob is pioneering the next generation of AI-powered experiential analytics specifically designed for service and support. Our platform utilizes cutting-edge AI technologies, including Multivalent Ontological Blocks (MOBs) and Large Ontological Models (LOMs), to unify and analyze customer data across all touchpoints, providing deep algorithmic insights into customer behavior and service inefficiencies. By transforming raw data into actionable intelligence, ServiceMob helps businesses predict and prevent service issues, reduce customer effort, and optimize operational costs. Our AI-driven approach goes beyond traditional metrics like CSAT(customer satisfaction) and efficiency metrics, empowering organizations to proactively shape customer experiences and drive sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive, AI-driven world. ServiceMob is perfectly positioned to meet the evolving needs of businesses in the Asian market, where innovation and efficiency are key to staying ahead in a AI global economy.
From a young age, Korawad has possessed a natural flair for entrepreneurship. He drives Amity Solutions towards success, envisioning a leadership role in the global digital transformation era for frontline employees. His passion for Amity Solutions' mission is always tangible and trickles to the daily work of all our employees.
Beyond business, Korawad is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and actively mentors in the startup community.
Amity Solutions is Thailand's industry-leading Platform as a Service (PaaS) specializing in tailored, enterprise-grade AI applications and AI agents. Its offerings include Enterprise and Generative AI Chatbots, pre-built social features for apps, websites, and building blocks for engaging employee experiences.
Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan School of Management Founder, Global Opportunity Forum, MIT Office of Open Learning
Dr. George Westerman is a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Founder of the Global Opportunity Forum (http://gof.mit.edu).
Dr. Westerman's work bridges the fields of executive leadership and technology strategy. During more than 20 years with MIT Sloan School of Management, he has written three award-winning books, including Leading Digital: Turning Technology Into Business Transformation. As a pioneering researcher on digital transformation, Dr. Westerman has published papers in Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, and other top journals. He is now focused on helping employers, educators, and other groups to rethink the process of workforce learning around the world through the GOF and several research collaborations.
Dr. Westerman is cochair of the MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Awards, a member of the Digital Strategy Roundtable for the US Library of Congress, and member of the Board of Directors for Workcred. He works frequently with senior management teams and industry groups around the world. Prior to earning a Doctorate from Harvard Business School, he gained more than 13 years of experience in product development and technology leadership roles.
AI moves quickly, but organizations change much more slowly. With new generative AI innovations launching every day, how do you make sense of what to do for your business? We’ll engage with recent research on how Generative AI helps (or doesn’t help) different types of business task. We’ll talk about the organizational capabilities you need to thrive with AI. Finally, we’ll examine how to choose the right AI approach for the problem you’re trying to solve. If you know the right questions to ask, and the answers to expect, you can make better decisions, regardless of how fast technology changes.
Mr. Paramate Nisagornsen is the Vice President-Corporate Administration at SCG.
As Executive Vice President of Digital and Technology Transformation and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Mitr Phol Group, Athikom leads the digital transformation of Asia’s foremost sugar and bio-based products industry. His career spans over two decades, beginning at Accenture, and includes expertise in SAP solutions, business strategies, B2B2C commerce, data analytics, AI, digital marketing, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and infrastructure.
Focused on driving impactful technology solutions that elevate operational efficiency and sustainability, Athikom is particularly dedicated to integrating AI into our “farm-to-table” transformation to foster innovation and sustainable growth. His contributions have been recognized with the CIO100 Awards and ETCIO Southeast Asia Transformative CIOs award from 2021 to 2023.
Athikom holds an MBA and MIS from Chulalongkorn University, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Innovation Management, and is certified in PMP and SAP.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Global Head of R&D, Charoen Pokphand (C.P.) Group
Dr. John (JJ) Jiang is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and global head of R&D for Thailand's Charoen Pokphand (C.P.) Group. He is also the Chief Digital Officer for CP Group and Chief of R&D for True Corporation.
Dr. Jiang is an AI Scientist who is a recognized serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, contributing to four startups and leading technology initiatives at major companies such as Cingular/ATT, China Mobile, and CP Group.
As the inaugural CDO at CP Group, he focuses on cybersecurity, data privacy, cloud strategy, automation, blockchain, and AI/analytics. Since 2019. He has assumed the role of Group CTO, concentrating on Cleantech, AI Digital Robotics, Biotech, NanoTech, sustainability, Smart retail, farm, factory, home, city, and Supply Chain Management. His expertise extends to molecular and digital health markers, food as medicine, multiomics/gene editing, seed/animal breeding, space farming, microbiome applications, longevity, brain health/EEG, cancer treatment, waste valorization, EM field & wave for rice paddy methane reduction, refrigeration/food storage/processing, CCUS, alternative protein-ingredients-materials-energy, green/turquoise/flash hydrogen, battery, 6G/satellite/Dynamic RIS, quantum computing, perovskite & quantum dot solar cells, nuclear fission/fusion, space solar, graphene, antimicrobial nanomaterials, and AI for crops, fruit & durian protection.
Currently, Dr. Jiang holds the position of President at iFree Group, a Hong Kong-based unicorn conglomerate spanning real estate, restaurants, travel, smart city/retail digital technology, health care, and investment across Asia and Australia. Additionally, I am a Founding Board member of the blockchain-based AI medical startup EVER, a rising unicorn with extensive patient data and global medical tourism partnerships.
With over 200 patents in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and more than 30 publications, I am a founding member of GSMA Steering of Roaming, notably contributing to the industry standard Traffic Steering. My inventions include patent-awarded technologies such as Single/multi-IMSI Multiple MSISDN, CloudSIM, and Figo.
In his role as Cofounder, President & CTO of Airlinq, he is actively involved in building a global connectivity ecosystem on eSIM/softSIM and IoT platforms, incorporating AI/ML/Analytics for applications in connected car/IOT/M2M, LPWA/V2X, Travel, Device OEMs, autonomous driving, Smart City, Smarthome, Drone, and other industries.
Previously, as the former CTO of China Mobile International, Dr. Jiang was responsible for mobile, internet, transmission, data center, IT, and NOC. Prior experiences include leadership roles as President and CTO, co-founder of the Unicorn Mobileum, Head of ATT/Cingular Wireless Information System Division, and Bell Labs Scientist. His achievements include being the 1986 Chinese Youth of the Year and the 1978 Winner of the Beijing Middle School Speed Math Competition.
Mr. Charamporn Jotikasthira is currently the Chairman at Clinixir Co., Ltd., the Executive Director at Bangkok Bank PCL, the Independent Director at Singha Estate Public Co. Ltd., the Independent Director at Minor International Public Co., Ltd., the Director at The Thai Silk Co. Ltd., the Independent Director at Osotspa Public Co. Ltd., the Director-Asset Management at Vajiravudh College, and a Member of the Chulabhorn Royal Academy Council. He has held former positions such as Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer at Settrade.com Co. Ltd., Chairman at Thailand Securities Depository Co. Ltd., Chairman at Family Know How Co., Ltd., Chairman at Thailand Clearing House Co., Ltd., Executive Chairman at Electronic Transactions Development Agency, President & Director at Thai Airways International Public Co. Ltd., Director at Nok Airlines Public Co., Ltd., Director at Thai Smile Airways Co., Ltd., Chief Information Officer at The Siam Commercial Bank PCL, President at SCB Asset Management Co., Ltd., President at InnovestX Securities Co., Ltd., Member-Financial Institutions Policy Committee at Bank of Thailand, Member-Governors Board at The Stock Exchange of Thailand, President at Thai Trust Fund Management Co., Ltd., and a Member of the Thai Institute of Directors Association. He holds an MBA from Harvard University and an undergraduate degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Executive Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center
Dr. Ben Armstrong is the executive director of MIT’s Industrial Performance Center, where he co-leads the Work of the Future initiative. His research examines how workers, firms, and regions adapt to technological change. His current projects include a working group on generative AI, as well as a book on American manufacturing competitiveness. His work has been published or featured in academic and popular outlets including the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Sloan Management Review, Times Higher Education, the Boston Review, Daedalus, and Economic Development Quarterly. He received his PhD from MIT and formerly worked at Google Inc.
MIT’s working group on Generative AI and the Work of the Future is studying how dozens of large companies are adopting generative AI to improve productivity, decision-making, and innovation. This presentation, from one of the working group’s co-leads, will summarize early research findings, including how generative AI has been augmenting jobs in human resources, marketing, customer support, and engineering. Although there has been justified enthusiasm about the potential for generative AI to deliver productivity and improved job quality, there are large gaps in our knowledge. One open question is how generative AI tools may negatively affect skill development and collaboration among teams. The research presented will propose ways that generative AI can be deployed to minimize skill atrophy and organizational silos.
Postdoctoral Associate, MIT Media Lab
Pat Pataranutaporn, Ph.D. is a technologist and a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he explores Human-AI interaction, Cyborg Psychology, synthetic virtual humans, and synthetic biology. Specifically, he focuses on the intersections between biological and digital systems. He finished his Ph.D. from the Fluid Interfaces research group at the MIT Media Lab and was a KBTG Fellow, working in collaboration with teams at NASA, NTT DATA, IBM, KBTG, UCSB, Stanford, and Harvard on advancing the future of human-computer interaction. Pat has also held a position as a researcher at the NASA SETI Frontier Development Lab.
Creating AI systems that augment human capabilities and promote personal and societal flourishing demands expertise in multiple research fields. My research takes an interdisciplinary, human-centered approach to the development of personal AI systems and the understanding of the complexity of human-AI interaction. For example, the "Wearable Reasoner" seeks to enhance human rationality, "Personalized Virtual Characters" aims to support learning motivation, and "Future You" is designed to encourage long-term oriented thinking and behavior. The ultimate goal is to empower the development of AI systems that foster human flourishing by nurturing intellectual growth, cultivating motivation, stimulating critical thinking, and preserving individual autonomy in decision-making.
Director and Senior Executive Vice President, Bangkok Bank PLC
Dr. Kobsak Pootrakool is an accomplished professional currently holding the position of Director and Senior Executive Vice President at Bangkok Bank. As a Member of the Board of Executive Directors and the Corporate Governance Committee, he plays a crucial role in shaping the bank's strategic direction. Dr. Pootrakool also serves as the Corporate Secretary, contributing to the efficient functioning of the organization.
His impressive academic background includes a Doctorate Degree in Macroeconomics and International Economics from MIT, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and Economics from William College, USA.
Dr. Pootrakool's extensive career at Bangkok Bank spans various key roles, including Senior Executive Vice President and Executive Vice President of International Banking. Beyond his banking career, he has held significant positions in the political landscape, such as Secretary and Member of the Council of Economic Ministers, Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister for Political Affairs, Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister, and Vice Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister.
His active involvement in national committees, including the National Reform Steering Assembly and the National Reform Council, highlights his commitment to contributing to broader socio-economic development. Dr. Pootrakool's diverse professional journey showcases a unique blend of financial expertise, leadership in banking, and substantial contributions to the political and economic landscape in Thailand.
Director of the Board, True Corporation Public Company Limited
Professor, MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Bernard M. Gordon Professor, Institute for Medical Engineering & Science
Prof. W. Eric L. Grimson is Chancellor for Academic Advancement at MIT, Professor of Computer Science, and the Bernard M. Gordon Professor of Medical Engineering. He also serves as Interim Vice President for Open Learning. As Chancellor for Academic Advancement, he represents the Institute to alumni/alumnae, parents, and others, and is a central advisor to MIT’s president on issues related to MIT’s Campaign for a Better World. As Vice President, he oversees MIT’s efforts in online education, including Open Courseware, MITx, and xPro. A faculty member since 1984, he previously served as Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and as Chancellor for MIT. In addition to research in computer vision and medical image analysis, Professor Grimson teaches introductory Computer Programming courses, including an online MITx course. In all, he has taught some 15,000 MIT undergraduates and served as the thesis supervisor to almost 50 MIT PhDs. A Fellow of AAAI, of ACM, and of IEEE, he earned a BSc in mathematics and physics from the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada and a PhD in mathematics from MIT, and holds a Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) from Dalhousie University and a Doctor of Science (honoris causa) from University of Saskatchewan, and from the University of Regina.