PH leads world in workers using AI: Microsoft Philippines

PH leads world in workers using AI: Microsoft Philippines

Arthur Fuentes
ABS-CBN News
Published May 27, 2024 

MANILA - The Philippines leads the world in terms of knowledge workers adopting generative artificial intelligence, Microsoft Philippines said citing the results of its 2024 Work Trend Index, which was conducted together with LinkedIn. 

Atul Harkisanka (L) LinkedIn's Head of Growth Markets and Country Lead for the Philippines, and Peter Maquera, Microsoft Philippines CEO present the 2024 Work Trend Index which shows the Philippines leading in terms of knowledge worker adoption of generative AI at the Microsoft headquarters in Makati, Philippines on May 23, 2024. Arthur Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

According to Microsoft, 86 percent of knowledge workers in the Philippines use AI at work. This is higher than the global average of 75 percent and the regional average of 83 percent.

“In terms of the workforce, our 2024 Work Trend Index shows Filipino employees are leading not just Asia, but the world, in leveraging AI to help boost productivity, efficiency and creativity, said Microsoft Philippines CEO Peter Maquera.  

Philippine companies however are not as quick to adopt the technology, leading around 83 percent of Filipino AI users to bring their own AI to work. 

Microsoft said this “poses privacy, security, and legal risks to companies.”

Maquera however said the pace of adoption of AI in the Philippines is “very promising” with "conglomerates" racing to deploy the technology in their systems.

Aside from banks and telcos, which led the way in bringing AI into their systems, other sectors such as retail, manufacturing, airlines, transport and logistics are also looking to deploy AI. 

“In the Philippines, the conglomerates are all racing,” Maquera said during a briefing with tech journalists at the company's country headquarters in Makati.

CAUTION VS OVER-REGULATING AI

Maquera said the software giant supports government regulation of artificial intelligence, but also cautions against the possible over-regulation of the new technology.  

“We are in favor of regulation,” Maquera said. 

A bill has been filed in Congress pushing for the creation of the Artificial Intelligence Development Authority (AIDA) under House Bill 7396 or the “Artificial Intelligence Development and Regulation Act of the Philippines”.

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Several government agencies, including the Interior, Education and Justice departments said they back the creation of an AI regulator. 

An earlier bill meanwhile was filed seeking to “prohibit the replacement of human workers, displacement, loss of security of tenure, or diminution of existing salaries and/or benefits because of the adoption and use of AI and automation technologies.”

Maquera said AI developers should ensure that the technology is safe, secure, and trustworthy. But the Microsoft official also said government regulation of AI needs to be “balanced.”

“Because you don't want to over-regulate so that you stifle innovation,” Maquera said.

He said the company sees that there are already “a lot of laws in place around privacy, around cybersecurity, around copyrights.”

“Our responsibility is to be absolutely committed to AI being safe for everyone,” said Josh Aquino, Microsoft Philippines head of communication. 

Advocacy groups have been warning about the possible ‘bias’ in AI systems which may generate results that are prejudiced against certain groups of people. Cybersecurity professionals meanwhile are concerned over the use of AI in scams and in misinformation.