Is PH ready for the AI gold rush?

NESCO recently released the Philippines AI Readiness Assessment Report detailing the opportunities, structural challenges, and strategic recommendations for the country’s AI journey.

- TECH4GOOD FORMER DICT UNDERSECRETARY MON B. IBRAHIM

The report says that, if AI is adopted effectively, it will position the technology as a major driver for the country's aspiration to become an upper-middle-income economy. If harnessed adequately for innovation and growth in sectors such as the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM), retail, manufacturing, and financial services, AI has the potential to boost the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) by approximately P2.8 trillion by 2030.

Worker displacement

Despite the fears of worker displacement, the report highlights that almost three-fourths of highly exposed jobs in the Philippines are considered complementary to Al, suggesting the technology is likely to increase productivity rather than replace workers. This means AI will not necessarily fire the call center agent; it will give them super-tools to work faster and smarter.

Yes, Al is beginning to change the workplace. In fact, it is also starting to transform life as we know it far more than the internet did decades ago.

The report creates a picture of a future where the Philippines is not just catching up, but actually leading. But — and there is always a but — the report also holds up a mirror to some uncomfortable truths. To unlock that trillion-peso potential, we have some serious housekeeping to do.

The ‘house in order' challenge