Young people visiting Job Expo Thailand 2026 held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on January 16, 2026. 186 Thai and international companies participated, providing an estimated 500,000 potential jobs. (Photo: Somchai Phumrad)
Employment among workers between the ages of 22 and 25 has fallen by 13% since the adoption of AI tools began in 2022, according to a Stanford University study of young workers.
There are two groups of AI users. On the other hand, some people simply use it as a tool to complement their abilities. On the other side are those who rely entirely on AI-generated output to complete their tasks.
of bangkok post office We spoke to the next generation of first jobbers who are studying and working in various fields in Thailand. Most people said they use AI as a tool rather than as a replacement for their entire job. They say that while AI has the power and potential, it is still unable to fully capture the human experience or create works that resonate emotionally.
“I mainly use it as a tool, usually within a design app. I don’t use AI to generate the entire artwork. In this field, everyone still wants the art to be made by humans,” says Junjaras Na Ranon, a 21-year-old graphic designer.
Portrait artist Nichafa Aitidedumron, 21, said she never uses AI in her work, instead relying on traditional methods and references from various sources.
Chananan Karjanary, 21, a student in the Department of International Relations, shared her vision for her future career and how AI can adapt. “I use AI as a point scoring tool, which is very similar to actual scoring,” she said.
“However, the whole task that AI generates is still not suitable for political logic, because politics requires reasoning and criticism in a certain way. Therefore, replacing human labor with AI is not yet suitable for the field of politics.”
Impact on employment
Many interviewees expressed concerns about AI literacy and the risk of abuse. They agreed that even when used judiciously, they can still harm society in some way, while recognizing that companies are rapidly expanding their deployment and seeking to replace human labor in certain areas.
Some are already in the profession, and others are about to enter their first jobs. How do they think AI will impact their employment opportunities?
“No matter how advanced AI becomes, humans are still better at feeling and feeling,” Chananan said.
“Diplomatic work requires observing people. AI cannot detect behavior or predict which country will benefit most from a negotiation,” he added.
“Human analysis is still better in real-world situations. Humans still have to do the dining and negotiating with national leaders.”
Nursing student Chonticya Kunkrai, 22, is not worried about her job prospects. “AI will not have a displacement effect in this field because we have to care for the patient’s body, mind and emotions,” she said.
A Markets and Markets report notes that leading healthcare organizations around the world are implementing AI in healthcare. However, there are concerns that AI could increase the workload of nurses, as they would need to manage the AI assistants while providing patient care.
Chonticha added that medical practice requires continuous learning, including adapting treatment methods. “My hope is that as hospitals leverage AI, salaries will stabilize or even increase,” she says.
In the language field, students interviewed said that AI still lacks the necessary qualities for translation and education.
“Translation results from AI can raise sensitive and historical issues. Humans are still better translators because they bring emotion and real-world knowledge,” said Sakunkan Yodopaka, 21, a Chinese language student.
Supasin Kwansataponkul, 21, who hopes to become an English teacher, said, “I want to be a teacher who improves the lives of my students, mentally, educationally, and personally.
“I recently spoke with autistic students about their struggles, and I don’t think AI can truly understand mental illness, background, or human emotion.”
Engineering insights
“There’s no denying that the use of AI is becoming the norm. Companies definitely want to hire people who can use AI,” said Kankavee Buama, 21, an industrial physics student.
However, he said the industry still needs human engineers and scientists because AI cannot yet handle the entire job, especially in policies and regulations that change weekly and require rapid enforcement.
Speaking at the International AI Exhibition in Thailand on June 9, Danawat Sutumpun, Microsoft’s Managing Director for Thailand and Developing Markets, said Thailand is experiencing the fastest pace of AI adoption, with a white-collar adoption rate of 32%, double the global average of 16%.
As AI grows rapidly and encroaches on human workspaces, there is no doubt that threats exist for entry-level workers.
One plausible way first-time workers say to survive in the new AI world is to improve their skills and leave a human signature on their work. To stay competitive, artificial intelligence will need to become intelligent itself, developing skills in the same way that human developers refine AI.
“As a first-time worker, you also need to maintain a sense of humanity in your work if you want to have a chance,” says Nichafa.
