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HUMAN CONUNDRUM:
HOW TO KEEP UP WITH ROBOTS
I
By Andrea E. San Juan
AI vs privacy risks
N keeping pace with the Artificial Intelligence boom or the tool that can think like humans, the Philippines needs to make the tool consumable, inclusive and realistic, according to a top official of a leading Information Technology (IT) firm. “The fundamental problem we need to address for the country is to make sure that AI consumers are educated on how to consume AI. To be very blunt about it, if you don’t know any better, you will be very easily used by AI,” Aileen Judan-Jiao, President and Country General Manager of IBM Philippines Inc., told reporters at a recent roundtable discussion. To be a stronger force to reckon with, the IBM executive stressed that the tool has to be “very inclusive,” such that it can be easily responsive to and embrace the needs of all economic classes. Having the demographic dividend advantage, the Philippines, Judan-Jiao said, houses the users of technology. However, she pointed out, “But if the tech users are not knowledgeable, it’s a problem. Right?” To have every Filipino ride the AI wave, the use cases of the tool should be “relatable and inclusive,” so as to make it last, the IBM executive emphasized. With this, Judan-Jiao said IBM “advocates” that AI regulation should not be a one-size-fits-all.
Tailor fit to industry FOR instance, an industry’s initiative in embracing AI should be tailored to its specific business needs. “If you are in the IT-BPM [IT and Business Process Management] industry then you have IBPAP [IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines], you collaborate so that you know what is the right regulation for your business. If you are SEIPI [Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc.], you collaborate so you know what is relevant to semicon,” she noted. Meanwhile, Judan-Jiao pointed out that local industries need to adopt AI independent from how the government and the academe integrate AI into their respective systems. Calling it a realistic approach, she said, “It’s about industry-government-academe collaboration. The point is, if you don’t collaborate, don’t complain why there is general regulation. The industries that can collaborate better, I’ll tell you, they are farther along…because they care.”
JAKUB JIRSAK | DREAMSTIME.COM
AI PROPONENTS SAY AI MUST BE MADE CONSUMABLE, INCLUSIVE AND REALISTIC IN THE PHILIPPINES
Aileen Judan-Jiao, President and Country General Manager of IBM Philippines Inc.: “The fundamental problem we need to address for the country is to make sure that AI consumers are educated on how to consume AI. To be very blunt about it, if you don’t know any better, you will be very easily used by AI.”
Arlene de Castro, Chief People and Customer Officer of Sprout Solutions: “Right now, we’re talking about AI already, and they’re still in automation, right? So they should at least raise the bar a little. Just so they would be [on a] par with the industry standard that we have.”
“So I would say, it’s commensurate to the effort you put in to the regulation,” said Judan-Jiao.
to the status quo isn’t any safer,” according to a CEO Study of the IBM Institute for Business Value. It added that CEOs understand that “they can’t stay the course and stay in the race.” In fact, the 2024 CEO study revealed that more than two-thirds of managers say the potential productivity gains from automation are “so great that they must accept significant risk to remain competitive,” with 62 percent of the company chiefs saying they’ll take more risk than the competition to maintain their competitive edge. However, Sprout Solutions, the Philippines’ homegrown business-to-business (B2B) software as a service (SaaS) company, presented in its State of HR Report 2024 the readiness of HR teams to adopt AI in their organizations.
Sprout exec: Raise the bar ON the issue of AI being inclusive, Arlene de Castro, Chief People and Customer Officer of Sprout Solutions, spoke along the same lines as she raised the need to “raise the notch higher” of the AI adoption not only in Metro Manila but also spreading across the provinces. “Right now, we’re talking about AI already, and they’re still in automation, right? So they should at least raise the bar a little. Just so they would be [on a] par with the industry standard that we have,” De Castro told reporters during a roundtable discussion last Tuesday. “The risk is real, but sticking
WHILE Human Resource (HR) teams in the Philippines view AI as essential in staying competitive, companies are slower in adopting AI in their operations due to privacy and security risks, among others, according to Sprout Solutions’ State of HR Report 2024. Data from the report showed varying levels of preparedness among organizations for using generative AI in strategic HR initiatives. For one, a significant number of businesses, or 39 percent, are “Moderately Ready,” indicating caution due to uncertainty or lack of preparation. Meanwhile, 31 percent fall under “Unready” and “Extremely Unready,” likely due to perceived risks, such as security and privacy concerns, lack of transparency and fear of job replacement. In contrast, the report said 30 percent are “Ready” and “Extremely Ready” in adopting AI. “With HR professionals reporting that they feel unprepared for generative AI, organizations must address this gap,” the report said. This should be addressed, it added, by offering training and upskilling opportunities, providing strategic guidance and investing in subscriptions and tools. The report emphasized that offering these types of assistance to organizations can “better equip” HR departments with the generative AI skills needed for the future of work. The State of HR report also noted that amid concerns on cybersecurity and data privacy, there is a need for a “robust” AI governance which should include frameworks to ensure ethical use,
transparency, and trust. Meanwhile, the report also revealed that 88 percent of HR professionals have minimal to moderate exposure to AI. “This shows that AI, while present, faces barriers like lack of expertise, resources, or strategic alignment,” the report said. Sprout conducted a survey on over 100 HR professionals, managers and practitioners in the Philippines which ran from February to March 2024. In terms of employee satisfaction with current AI technologies in HR processes, the report noted that there’s a “high level” of dissatisfaction, as the survey showed that 35 percent of the respondents are moderately satisfied and 37 percent are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. With this, the report said there is a “clear need” for improved AI integration processes, including training and workshops. While 83 percent of employees who use their personal AI tools and applications at work raise privacy and security risks, the report said, “Adoption is promising, with major sectors racing to implement AI.” For instance, the report noted that Microsoft Philippines supports AI regulation but warns against over-regulation. Further, the report noted that a bill in Congress seeks to establish an Artificial Intelligence Development Authority (AIDA) to regulate AI, with support from government agencies. As Patrick Gentry, CEO of Sprout Solutions, puts it, “As we navigate the digital age, it’s clear that embracing technology and AI is critical for organization success.”
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