Philippines Urged to Embrace Generative AI for Outsourcing Sector Growth
In a bold move to propel the outsourcing sector to new heights of efficiency, the IT & Business Association of the Philippines is urging the country to embrace generative AI instead of fearing it. The president of the association, Jack Madrid, made this call at an industry summit attended by 800 delegates. He emphasized that the AI train is moving rapidly and the Philippines needs to match its speed.
With the rise of AI, the Philippines, like the rest of the world, is preparing for disruptions in the outsourcing sector as bots take on more call-center jobs. To adapt to this technology, the Philippines must stay ahead. Currently, the outsourcing sector contributes around 8% to the country’s economic output and is a significant source of dollars.
Some companies in the Philippines are already exploring the use of generative AI to enhance their operations. Accenture Plc’s Philippine unit, for example, is studying the implementation of AI-powered co-pilots to serve as advisors for call-center agents and assist their coders in understanding and creating codes.
Arvin Yanson, the managing director of Accenture Philippines’ innovation hub, emphasized that the industry must keep pace with clients who are increasingly exploring generative AI. However, Yanson also emphasized that humans will still remain essential in outsourcing processes as the technology is still in its early stages and faces challenges with accuracy and more complex tasks. Human intervention is necessary to review, approve, or modify the suggestions made by generative AI.
To further support the industry, the Philippine government plans to establish an AI research center aimed at hiring scientists who can assist smaller businesses in exploring and gaining access to new technologies. Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual announced this plan at the same industry event.
Despite the challenges posed by AI, Madrid remains optimistic about the prospects for the outsourcing sector. This year, the industry expects to achieve 23% of the targeted 1.1 million jobs and contribute a fifth of the additional revenue of $29.5 billion that it aims to generate by 2028.
Madrid believes that combining artificial intelligence with emotional intelligence will be a powerful combination for the industry.
Overall, while the Philippines acknowledges the potential disruptions brought by AI, it is also keen on embracing this technology to drive growth and ensure its outsourcing sector remains competitive. With a focus on combining the strengths of AI and human intelligence, the Philippines is positioning itself for continued success in the industry.
This article is generated by OpenAI’s language model.
