Why Filipinos must rethink what AI really means in our daily lives

We had the opportunity to attend Lenovo Philippines' TechDay 2025—and having previously witnessed how initiatives like Lenovo's EdVision and other ecosystem-driven campaigns come to life, the event felt like a meaningful continuation of a story I've long admired. Lenovo doesn't just build hardware—it develops smarter, purpose-driven technology systems that center around people, not just profit.

- By MILLIE MANAHAN

This year's theme, "It's Time for AI-nomics: Unleashing the Potential of AI," wasn't just another tech buzzword-fueled conference. It was a well-grounded, evidence-backed call to action—especially for countries like the Philippines. And if you're a parent, an educator, or a decision-maker in business or government, this isn't just another tech trend. This is personal.

We got to ask a rare one-on-one question with Lenovo Philippines' President and General Manager, Michael Ngan: "On your own terms, Sir Mike, how would you describe the level of AI awareness or adoption among Filipinos?"

His answer was simple but powerful: "A lot of Filipinos don't even realize they're already using AI - think about Waze," he answered. Succinctly, AI is embedded in our everyday choices and yet many people still associate it with robots or futuristic tech out of reach. That gap in perception is exactly why education, both formal and informal, remains essential.

Based on Lenovo's CIO Playbook

2025, AI spending in Asia Pacific is multiplying rapidly—3.3x in AP and 2.7x in ASEAN+1. The Philippines, interestingly, is part of the early wave of adopters making foundational moves. With national strategies like the AI Roadmap (2021-2028) and plans for a National Center for AI Research, we’re slowly but surely embedding AI into agriculture, healthcare, BPOs, and manufacturing.

But while 47% of ASEAN+ organizations are currently evaluating or planning to implement AI in the next year, our numbers still lag behind the global average of 49%. One of the main reasons? ROI. Many organizations are struggling to measure or predict return on AI investments.

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