Philippine companies need bigger artificial intelligence push, experts say

PHILIPPINE FIRMS must accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and invest in infrastructure, talent, and governance to unlock potential gains of up to 12% in national economic output, according to industry experts.

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“AI could drive anywhere from an 8% to 12% increase in the GDP (gross domestic product) of the country by 2030,” Kearney Senior Partner and Philippines Country Head Marco de la Rosa said during a panel discussion at the BusinessWorld Forecast 2026 on Nov. 25.

He said realizing that potential would require increased investments and more “democratized” access to AI technologies.

Enterprises, regulators and the government should also engage in what he described as a “healthy dialogue” on how to further improve AI adoption and governance.

“It would be great to see more venture capital or private equity monies coming into the country, investing in the AI capabilities locally,” Mr. Dela Rosa said.

Ambe C. Tierro, country managing director at Accenture Philippines, said companies’ AI strategies must be grounded on technology, talent, and trust.