As the transformative opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence (AI) become imminent, the country’s biggest organization of information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) firms has called for proactive efforts to prepare the local workforce.

According to the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), while global discussions often focus on the potential disruptions AI may bring, the organization said opportunities from AI in augmenting jobs, enhancing productivity, and elevating industries to new heights are immense.

“As the world’s second-largest IT-BPM destination, the Philippines stands at a crossroads. The sector, projected to close 2024 at $38 billion in revenue and employing 1.82 million Filipinos, has embraced AI with 67 percent of surveyed IBPAP member companies integrating AI technologies into their operations,” Jack Madrid, president and CEO of IBPAP, said in a statement on Friday.

He stressed that early adoption enhances productivity and drives higher-value services, positioning the IT-BPM industry as a model for navigating AI disruption.

Upskill broader workforce

However, he said these opportunities must be matched with a nationwide effort to upskill the broader workforce and mitigate potential job losses across other sectors.

“IBPAP is leading the charge by advocating for government action to prioritize funding for AI-focused upskilling programs and the integration of digital and AI-related skills into the national education curriculum. Recent partnerships with the Department of Education (DepEd) and TESDA have strengthened the foundation for scalable, competency-based training initiatives in critical fields such as data analytics, machine learning, and cybersecurity,” the organization’s chief said.

To complement these efforts, Madrid said IBPAP has rolled out the Philippine Skills Framework for Contact Center and Business Process Management, which aims to upskill 1 million workers by 2028.

Additionally, he said industry leaders are being equipped with tools to adopt AI responsibly and implement ethical workforce transition strategies.

“AI is not a distant challenge; it is a present reality reshaping industries and economies globally. The IT-BPM sector has shown that early adoption of AI can create opportunities. However, we must not stop there. The Philippines must act decisively to prepare the broader workforce, leveraging our leadership in IT-BPM as a blueprint for other industries,” according to Madrid.

Moreover, he said IBPAP reaffirms its commitment to building a future-ready workforce and urges the government, private sector, and academia to collaborate in this critical effort.

“By taking bold and proactive steps, the Philippines can maintain its position as a global IT-BPM leader while fostering inclusive economic growth,” Madrid stated.