Filipino workers seen most at risk of AI takeover in Asean

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino workers are more at risk of being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) compared to their peers in the region unless the Philippines can shift to more knowledge-based services that mostly require human intelligence and skills, Amro said.

In its flagship economic outlook report, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)+3 Macro Research Office said that generative AI “will exhibit uneven impacts” both across and within economies in Asean+3, and could risk diverging growth trajectories.

READ: Digitalization, AI pose threat to skilled PH workers, says HSBC

“For example, given the relatively large size of the business process outsourcing service industry in the economy, the Philippines could face a greater risk of worker displacement—primarily those engaged in more routine work—as AI gradually reshapes ICT operations, unless it can move into more knowledge-based services,” Amro said.

“Most economies—especially those with lower technological capabilities—could be more exposed to the potential disruption that comes with the broader adoption of AI technology,” it added.

Amro’s assessment came at a time of growing anxiety over the potential impact of AI technology on jobs.

READ: AI’s impact on the Philippines: Today, BPOs. Tomorrow, other sectors.

Based on the latest report from American banking giant Citigroup, tech-AI jobs grew nine times while broad AI-jobs grew 11.3 times since 2015. Citi defines tech-AI jobs as those that need technological skills necessary to run, train and test AI models, while broad-AI jobs are those that require an understanding of AI technologies but not the “hard” tech skills.

More fundamentally, Amro said a concern with widespread Gen AI adoption was its potential to “amplify productivity—and growth—divergence” within and between Asean+3 economies, resulting in slower economic growth in some relative to others.

Amro said the region’s existing digital divide could skew the distribution of economic benefits from Gen AI, with more developed economies and privileged groups possibly reaping most of the rewards. —Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral INQ