Gulf Edge & Kore.ai strike exclusive Thailand AI deal

Gulf Edge and Kore.ai have formed a strategic partnership to develop AI solutions for Thailand. The agreement gives Gulf Edge exclusive rights to use Kore.ai's platform in the country across several sectors.

Under the arrangement, Gulf Edge will build and deliver AI products for energy, telecommunications, banking, insurance, healthcare and the public sector. Kore.ai will support product design and go-to-market planning, while Gulf Edge will use its local digital infrastructure and market position to distribute the services.

The deal reflects intensifying competition for a place in Thailand's emerging AI market, as companies move from pilot projects to wider deployment. Industry forecasts cited by the companies value the country's AI sector at US$3.5 billion by 2030, with annual growth of more than 28%.

Gulf Edge is the digital infrastructure arm of Gulf Development, one of Thailand's largest energy and infrastructure groups. It has been expanding into data centres and cloud-related services as it builds the systems needed for broader corporate adoption of AI tools.

Its portfolio includes telecommunications and technology assets, including a stake linked to Advanced Info Service, Thailand's largest mobile and fixed broadband operator. Its data centre interests include Gulf Edge Data Centre and GSA, which together have planned capacity of more than 160 megawatts.

US-based Kore.ai sells AI software and applications to large organisations. It says it works with more than 500 Global 2000 companies and partners, providing tools for customer service, workplace use and process automation.

Thai market

Thailand has become a focal point for technology suppliers and infrastructure groups seeking to build local AI businesses in Southeast Asia. Demand has been supported by public- and private-sector investment, as well as interest from enterprises looking for tools adapted to local language, regulation and industry needs.

For Gulf Edge, the partnership marks a step beyond infrastructure ownership into software-led services for business customers. The aim is to create localised applications suited to Thai business and consumer requirements, rather than offer generic systems developed for other markets.

The exclusive nature of the arrangement also suggests Gulf Edge is seeking a differentiated position in Thailand's enterprise AI market. By securing sole rights to use Kore.ai's platform in targeted sectors, it may be able to offer products that rivals cannot easily replicate through the same supplier.

That matters most in industries such as banking, insurance and healthcare, where local compliance requirements and integration with existing systems often shape procurement decisions. Telecommunications and public sector projects can carry similar demands, particularly where customer interaction and operational workflows are involved.

Infrastructure push

The partnership comes as digital infrastructure operators across the region look for ways to capture more value from AI demand. Data centres, cloud services and connectivity are essential for large-scale deployment, but companies with those assets are increasingly trying to add software and managed services on top.

Gulf Edge said it would combine its infrastructure investments with Kore.ai's platform to create applications tailored to Thai enterprises. The companies presented the effort as part of a broader push to support what they described as an AI-first future in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

"At Gulf Edge, we are building the foundation for an AI-first future in Southeast Asia, starting in Thailand," said Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Development Public Company Limited. "Our partnership with Kore.ai brings together our strength in digital infrastructure and local market expertise with enterprise-grade platform capabilities to accelerate practical AI adoption across industries. Together, we aim to help organizations unlock measurable business value and enable the next generation of intelligent enterprises."

Ratanavadi's comments place the agreement within Gulf's broader strategy of linking physical infrastructure with digital services. For large conglomerates in the region, that model offers a way to use existing relationships in energy, telecoms and industrial markets to expand into newer areas such as AI systems and business software.

Kore.ai said the Thai partnership fits its strategy of working with local operators that already have customer access and sector knowledge. Rather than entering the market alone, it is relying on Gulf Edge as a strategic partner to adapt and sell its software in industries where local trust and implementation expertise are important.

"Gulf Edge's infrastructure investments and vision for an AI-first future are exactly the kind of ambition our platform was built to support," said Raj Koneru, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kore.ai. "Together, we are enabling enterprises to move beyond experimentation and deploy AI systems at scale that deliver real business impact across sectors in Thailand and Southeast Asia."