Marcos: Philippines embracing AI revolution

SAN FRANCISCO, USA - President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday (PH Time) underscored that the Philippines is ready to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as he urged technology firms to partner with the Philippines when it comes to what he described as a "technological revolution."

“The Philippines is ready to become your partner in navigating the AI future. As we look to the horizon, let's 'Make It Happen in the Philippines,' where the promise of a future defined by technological inclusivity and shared growth is not just envisioned but actively realized,” Marcos said in a roundtable meeting with investors at the sidelines of the 2023 APEC Summit.

Marcos said the Philippines is currently embracing the AI revolution to augment the existing skills of Filipinos, increase the productivity of enterprises, and enhance the competitiveness of the economy.

“Currently, the Philippines is embracing this future of AI with the crafting of the National AI Strategy that seeks to augment the existing skillset of Filipino talents with AI. This strategy also aims to position the Philippines as a Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence,” Marcos said.

Marcos expressed belief that the AI could uplift the lives of Filipinos, increase the productivity of enterprises, and enhance the competitiveness of the country's economy. 

"And I’m certain our discussions here today will help the Philippines steer our roadmaps in a direction that maximizes the skills of Filipinos and helps them achieve their aspirations,” Marcos said.

The roundtable meeting was co-organized by NightDragon Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Dewalt, Bain and Company CEO Emmanuel Maceda, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Dewalt and Maceda were present during the meeting along with Crescent Point Group Vice Chairman Thomas Pompidou, Microsoft Managing Director Michelle Gonzalez, Mandiant (A Google Company) CEO Kevin Mandia and Group of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) Head Chris Emanuel.

Dewalt said his company and the other technology firms present in the roundtable are looking forward to bringing all the technologies, particularly generative AI to the Philippines,  noting that this will be beneficial to the country considering its young and powerful workforce.

“The way I would say it is the Filipinos have an unbelievable ability to integrate in the global business systems like we do, maybe unmatched by any workforce on the planet,” Dewalt said.

“I think using the upskilling and the retraining of those teams to focus on how we will --- when we get the productivity benefits invest in more resources, we can do that even more so in the Philippines with teams that are experts on generative AI,” he added.

Further, Plug and Play Ventures CEO Saeed Amidi, Altimeter CEO Brad Gerstner, HP (formerly Hewlett-Packard) CEO Enrique Lores, Visa CEO Ryan McInerney, Mastercard Co-President Ling Hai, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei were also present during the roundtable meeting. 

For his part, McInerney said generative AI would be a leveling force for small businesses, especially online businesses. 

On Wednesday, Marcos also called on fintech companies and startups to explore partnerships in the Philippines to develop the country’s digital transformation.

The President delivered his message through a hologram video recording at the Singapore Financial Technology Festival 2023 as he underscored the Philippines’ commitment to digital transformation.

“In the Philippines, we remain committed to fostering an environment that promotes collaboration and propels the momentum of our digital transformation,” Marcos said. 

“The Philippines is likewise cementing its position as a hub for digital innovation and entrepreneurship, with a dynamic startup scene that holds immense promise,” added Marcos.—VAL, GMA Integrated News