Thinking Machines: OpenAI’s First Services Partner in the APAC Region

Thinking Machines Data Science has formed a significant partnership with OpenAI, positioning itself as the first official Services Partner for OpenAI in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. This collaboration aims to empower businesses throughout APAC to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) effectively for tangible results.
As AI adoption grows in APAC, an IBM study revealed that 61% of enterprises are already utilizing AI, although many are stuck in the experimental phase, failing to generate substantial business impact. Through this partnership, Thinking Machines and OpenAI plan to offer executive training on ChatGPT Enterprise and support the development of custom AI applications, alongside strategies to integrate AI smoothly into daily operations.
Stephanie Sy, Founder and CEO of Thinking Machines, emphasizes the importance of capability building in this initiative. She advocates for a transformative approach to AI adoption, urging organizations to view it not merely as a technological acquisition but as a business transformation. She identified three key aspects essential for scaling AI: leadership alignment on value creation, redesigned workflows that integrate AI, and workforce training to ensure successful adoption. “When leaders, teams, and technology come together, AI delivers lasting value,” Sy states.
She notes that many executives wrongly regard AI as a technical project instead of a strategic priority. According to her, C-suite leaders must clarify AI’s role—whether as a growth driver or a managed risk—by outlining specific outcomes, defining risk appetites, and assigning ownership. This top-down clarity helps transition AI from a mere experiment to an essential enterprise capability.
Moreover, Sy speaks on the concept of “human-in-command” where the collaboration between humans and AI is key. This approach allows human workers to concentrate on critical decision-making while AI manages routine tasks. In workshops facilitated by Thinking Machines, professionals using ChatGPT frequently save one to two hours per day, which vast studies, including one from MIT, support, showing substantial productivity boosts.
Thinking Machines also focuses on advanced AI systems, termed agentic AI, capable of undertaking multi-step processes. Such systems allow for coordinated workflows where AI handles tasks like research and form completion while ensuring the human user remains in command.
Despite the swift expansion of AI, Sy highlights the importance of governance that evolves alongside technological adoption. Effective governance should be integrated into everyday tasks rather than regarded as an administrative burden. This ensures accountability and builds trust across teams engaging with AI tools.
The unique cultural and linguistic landscape of the Asia Pacific presents challenges for AI scaling. Sy suggests a tailored approach, advocating for building solutions locally before expanding them. This strategy ensures that AI tools are effectively aligned with regional needs while maintaining scalability.
Looking ahead, Sy predicts that AI will evolve from being a tool for drafting to a means of full execution in key business functions including software development and service operations. She anticipates the emergence of “policy-aware” assistants that can integrate seamlessly within finance and manufacturing sectors, informed by local knowledge and compliance requirements.
The collaboration with OpenAI is set to begin in Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand, with plans to expand services across the region. The goal is clear: facilitate a shift from pilot projects to impactful AI integration, helping organizations redefine their operations for maximum benefit.
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