BPOs studying impact of artificial intelligence on employment

Business process outsourcing companies in the Philippines are now studying how the use of artificial intelligence may impact on the jobs of call center agents after the issue was tackled during an industry conference in Boracay.

According to a report on GMA News' "Unang Balita," the Contact Centers Association of the Philippines launched the study.

The group encouraged BPOs to keep an open mind on the use of AI and other technologies while a study on how it may affect the employment of millions of call center agents in the Philippines is in progress

The Department of Trade and Industry said the Philippines must prepare in case demand for manpower in the BPO sector declines with the arrival of AI and other technologies.

"We just want to make sure we are prepared if there are any breakthrough developments in new technology for artificial intelligence," Finance Secretary Carlos "Sonny" Dominguez III said in September.

Last year, the BPO sector registered $23 billion in revenue and employed more than 1 million in the Philippines, according to the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines. — Rie Takumi/VDS, GMA News