Advanced Info Service (AIS) is upgrading its My AIS mobile application to become a super-app, which is expected to be launched by the middle of the year under the concept of Mobile First, App First.
The super-app will offer a wider range of products and services to serve its users' daily digital lifestyles. They will include features pertaining to entertainment, insurance, finance, retail, health, lifestyle, and food and beverages.
The company expects consumers to use these products and services all day, according to AIS chief executive Somchai Lertsutiwong.
Mr Somchai said people currently use mobile phones from when they wake up until they go to bed. Some apps are used most of the time, he said, which AIS wants for its own app.
"Some of the new features will be provided through an app-in-app concept that is connected with our partners' features to capture users' experiences too," he said.
The current My AIS app focuses mainly on bill payment services, offering promotional packages, games and vouchers. The app has around 10 million active users, which are growing every month.
The My AIS upgrade is part of AIS's transformation process to become what the firm calls a "cognitive tech company" by early 2025.
"You will see more intensive steps in the transformation and new development this year," Mr Somchai said.
The cognitive tech company will provide customers with personalised services, real-time offers, and interactive information.
The super-app development is led by Novel Engine Execution Department (Next), a business unit dedicated to innovation development. The unit's team, together with the outsourcing team, has more than 100 staff working on the app upgrade.
NEW 'YOUniverse' SLOGAN
Apart from the super-app upgrade, Mr Somchai said the firm would launch a new corporate slogan, "YOUniverse", by the middle of the year to reflect its fully personalised services, in line with the plan to become a cognitive tech company.
In December 2021, the AIS board approved the firm's roadmap to become a cognitive tech company.
The cognitive telco focuses on three primary goals: boosting productivity and providing the greatest benefit to customers; continuing to drive business growth with home internet and corporate customers; and investment in digital business for strong future growth. The strategy is aimed at generating sustainable growth.
Mr Somchai added that the firm would require fewer field engineers but need more data scientists and data analytics.
AIS now has over 400 staff in the field of data, of which around 75% are responsible for mobile and fixed broadband, while the remaining 25% cooperate with partners in the development of new services and innovation.
Mr Somchai denied that the latest super-app move was aimed at beating its rival True Corporation, which came into being following the merger between True Corp and Total Access Communication (DTAC). The new entity now has around 54 million subscribers, bigger than AIS's subscriber base.
"We're still number one in terms of revenue market share, profit and customer satisfaction," Mr Somchai said.
Mr Somchai added that once the cognitive tech company format is fully implemented by early 2025, it would create a clear difference between AIS and its rival.
