MVP upbeat on AI’s role

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan is welcoming artificial intelligence (AI) with open arms – both the challenges and opportunities it presents to businesses.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines Pangilinan, who chairs the MVP Group, said AI, with its immense power, is not an existential threat but a tool.

“To all of us, AI is touted as this monumental technology that will forever alter the landscape of business. That is in fact true. AI will be impactful. For us frontlines in the technology battlefield, it is simply another big challenge,” Pangilinan said.

However, Pangilinan said the arrival of new technology often comes with fear and apprehensions.

“It carries with it the ghost of Macbeth’s Banquo. That ghost whispers into our collective ear: this will replace you. This will obsolete you. This will end you,” Pangilinan said.

“Time and again, we have confronted these fears, only to emerge transformed – not diminished. The end of one job often signals the beginning of another,” he said.

With AI already changing the way people live, Pangilinan said the technology presents opportunities for bigger innovations, potentially those that could address hunger and malnutrition.

“Together, they form the scaffoldings of the next great cathedrals of progress. But scaffoldings alone do not build edifices. It is human creativity and ingenuity – the minds and hearts and hands of men and women – ultimately are responsible for turning visions into grandiose creations – no matter the era,” Pangilinan said.

“Looking ahead, those born this year will not know a world without AI and robots because these will be integrated by then into their daily lives,” he said.

At present, however, Pangilinan said that there are three major impediments that are slowing down AI adoption in the Philippines.

“First is data. For AI to work, companies need to feed their algorithm vast cache of data, which musty be complete, high quality and available,” he said.

Second is talent and expertise, which Pangilinan said are probably the most scarce resources.

“Because AI needs to be customized for particular business needs. Open-source solutions may not always work,” he said.

Cited as the third factor is infrastructure, which are robust data networks and hyperscaler data centers with humongous and ultra-fast computing capacities.

Pangilinan said that PLDT is currently building and is planning to build more hyperscaler data centers to handle AI.

“AI reflects not just the rhythm of progress, it is the heartbeat of mankind,” he said.