By Alec Go
The country will soon become a center for artificial intelligence (AI) processing following the success of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.
During President Duterte’s Aug. 24 public address, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said they are eyeing the establishment of the National Center for AI Research, together with the private sector and other agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
This is in partnership with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Data Science Laboratory.
“In the near future, magiging big data AI processing hub na rin ang Pilipinas. Itong nakikita natin na next center for excellence after BPO kasi sikat ang Pilipinas ngayon, BPO. Ito ang magiging next BPO natin,” Lopez said.
“Mas maraming magpapagawa ng AI analysis sa Pilipinas, as our service gamit ang AI… Itong AI research ay higit na makakatulong sa mga kumpanyang maging mas competitive at efficient ang kanilang operations,” he added.
The project will be government-initiated and private sector-led to ensure that it will benefit small businesses without big companies monopolizing it. The country’s AI Roadmap was launched last May.
Lopez said this will generate more jobs as the country’s data scientists will be trained to utilize AI to respond to industries’ problems.
“Eventually, ito po ay makatatayo rin ng mga AI companies nila, or iha-hire sila ng mga kumpanya. Mga high-tech na jobs ang mapo-produce nito,” he said.
A study cited by the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) under the AI Roadmap states that AI could generate $92 billion in the Philippines alone by 2030. – jlo
