How AI and Data Science Will Transform the Philippines in the Coming Years

As an AI advocate, developer and venture builder, I always ponder upon the future of it within the context of our country, the Philippines. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science, including LLMs, Generative AI and Robotics, are making waves around the world, and the Philippines is no exception. These technologies are changing how businesses operate, how governments make decisions, and even how we go about our daily lives. In the next few years, the impact of AI and data science on the Philippines is expected to be massive, driving growth, efficiency, and smarter decision-making across the board.

According to forecasts, the AI market in the Philippines is set to reach $1.03 billion by 2025 and could skyrocket to $3.49 billion by 2030. That’s a staggering growth rate of nearly 28% annually! This boom is being fueled by businesses rapidly adopting AI to streamline operations, cut costs, and make better decisions. On top of that, many professionals in the Philippines are embracing AI tools in their everyday work. In fact, a recent survey showed that 71% of those in digitalization and data sciences, 65% in IT, and 59% in marketing and media are already using AI regularly.

AI in the Philippine IT-BPM Industry

The IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector has long been a major contributor to the Philippine economy. Despite worries that AI might replace jobs, the industry is expected to grow by 7% in 2024, creating around 120,000 new jobs and pushing total employment to about 1.82 million. Revenue is also set to rise, potentially hitting $38 billion. AI is helping this industry stay competitive by improving customer service, speeding up processes, and reducing human errors.

Making Better Decisions with Data

One of the most exciting aspects of AI and data science is their ability to turn raw data into valuable insights. Governments, businesses, and even small community organizations in the Philippines are starting to use these insights to make better decisions. Whether it’s predicting traffic patterns to ease congestion in Metro Manila or using AI to improve healthcare services, or predicting weather to control flood prone areas, data-driven decision-making is the way of the future.

AIRA Command Center: Paving the Way for a Data-Driven Philippines

Leading the charge in this transformation is AIRA LABS (airalabs.ai), a data company based in Manila. The flagship product, the AIRA Command Center, is an AI-powered platform that helps local governments and organizations gather, organize, and analyze data more effectively. The goal? To build safer, smarter, and more connected communities across the country.

The AIRA Command Center’s vision is to turn the Philippines into a true data-driven nation—a place where leaders and decision-makers rely on AI-generated insights to craft policies and solutions that genuinely improve people’s lives. Imagine a world where city planners can predict and prevent flooding before it happens or where healthcare providers can pinpoint disease outbreaks early. That’s the kind of future AIRA LABS is working towards.

AI for Small Businesses and Farmers

It’s not just big businesses and governments that can benefit from AI. Small businesses and farmers in the Philippines are also starting to use AI tools to gain a competitive edge. For example, AI can help farmers decide the best time to plant crops based on weather forecasts and soil conditions. Small businesses can use AI to manage inventory more efficiently and offer personalized recommendations to customers.

Challenges Along the Way

Of course, the road to a data-driven Philippines won’t be without challenges. Issues like data privacy, cybersecurity, and the need for a skilled workforce are real hurdles that need to be overcome. But with the government rolling out policies to support AI and data science—like the National AI Roadmap—the country is well on its way to addressing these challenges.

The Future Looks Bright

As AI and data science continue to grow, the Philippines stands to gain immensely—from better job opportunities to smarter cities and more effective governance. With innovators like AIRA LABS leading the way, the vision of a data-driven nation where decisions are made for the good of the people is closer than ever.

In short, the future of AI and data science in the Philippines is not just about technology; it’s about making everyday life better for everyone. And that’s a future worth looking forward to.

Altara, Gentree Fund co-lead Kita Agritech’s US$3M seed round

Kita’s mission is to elevate the livelihoods of Filipino farmers collectively and sustainably with the use of modern supply chain tech and AI

Philippine startup Kita Agritech has secured US$3 million in an “oversubscribed” seed funding round co-led by Gentree Fund and Altara Ventures.

Kita plans to use the money to digitalise the agriculture supply chain using big data and AI technologies.

Kita was launched in 2022 as a supplier of fruits and vegetables for restaurants in Metro Manila. The company supported local farmers by financing their agricultural inputs and directly procuring their goods for distribution to various enterprises, such as hotels, restaurants, and food manufacturers.

According to the company, this approach eliminated the expenses linked to conventional supply chain systems, ensuring profitability for farmers, and delivering the freshest, top-quality produce and ingredients to clients.

As an agricultural economy, the Philippines plays a significant role in the regional agricultural supply chain market, accounting for US$30 billion in trading volume, about 10 per cent of its GDP, and employing over 20 per cent of its population. The country is Southeast Asia’s second-largest producer of fresh vegetables, yielding over 5 million tons annually, following Vietnam.

As of October 2023, Kita operates three warehouses and a fleet of cold chain-enabled delivery trucks, serving major restaurant and hotel chains in the Philippines.

“Much of the initial growth and success in Kita can be attributed to having a very good team in place and focus on cash flow and profitability,” said Marc Concio, Founder and CEO of Kita.

DO NOT DWELL IN THINGS YOU CANNOT CONTROL

“I have seen something further under the sun, that the swift do not always win the race, nor do the mighty win the battle, nor do the wise always have the food, nor do the intelligent always have the riches, nor do those with knowledge always have success, because time and unexpected events overtake them all.”

As it said in the scriptures mentioned, “..time and unexpected events overtake them all”.

I am sure we were all surprised by the recent COVID-19 crisis, and never in our lives did we expect it would happen to us or our country. But still, it happened. That is because we are not soothsayers or fortune tellers. We are not capable of predicting the future. Simply put, there are many things that are not under our control, yet we dwell or blame ourselves for negative outcomes that come out of these events.

There are many things you can’t control. Work within your means and capabilities. Maybe what you are trying to achieve is beyond you.

I always use the example of 4-foot-11 man who wants to be an NBA basketball star. Yes, there are probably a few of those, but a FEW. Being exceptional comes with hard work and extraordinary effort. Win first in your own world, then break out if there is opportunity. Learn to let go of things beyond your mental and physical capacity, and move forward.

BE A LEADER TO YOURSELF FIRST BEFORE OTHERS

I once wrote in a social media post, “We have to be products of our own ingenuity, or we are not geniuses at all.” In other words, we have to walk the talk.  Look at yourself first, and demonstrate it outward to other people so that you may lead by example.

The first thing you have to do is have the humility to accept and admit that you are limited. That means you have to love yourself, with all your shortcomings, before you can influence others. You should be able to realize that your weaknesses can only be complemented by the strength of others. Moreover, you have to be able to accept criticism as well. Being a leader to yourself, is all about accepting your imperfection. You don’t have all the answers, but some do.

Secondly, being humble then brings you now to keep learning, and creating a plan to improve yourself. Self-improvement and growth requires you to realize that you have to better for the benefit of others.

Lastly, being a leader to yourself means being able to master your emotions at the same time, being conscious of your spirituality, in turn being effective in controlling your actions. If you do not have a technique to control yourself when faced with temptations, then you cannot tell those who follow you to do so. 

PATTERN OF FAILURE AND YOUR HABITS

History tells us that failure is inevitable. That’s how people learn. That’s how societies thrive and grow. If we know that failure is inevitable, then we also know that unexpected events overtake us all. Accept the realities of life. Things happen. And you are not the only exception. Once you realize this, then every failure is just a step towards your objective.

The danger is this: if you have a pattern of failure, and you don’t put in the effort to get out of it.

You have to determine your pattern of failure. You may be repeating the same failure over and over again. You have to be conscious of this pattern, and you need to confuse and break it. If you were habitually late, how do you break it? By intentionally creating a break in the middle. Wake up for that single day you decide to confuse the pattern and be there 15 minutes early. Is your work making you bored and demotivated? Then take control of your boredom and find things that are satisfying with it.

Secondly, diagnose and cure. Be very curious about why you are stuck in this pattern. Ask for professional mentorship, especially from those who have experienced the same type of failure. Once you have diagnosed it properly, then have that conscious effort to change, whether it is your attitude, your habit or your circumstances. I cannot stress it more: Diagnose, diagnose, and diagnose. Sometimes, it is also a good idea to ask someone close to you to tell you honestly if he sees this pattern of yours. A third-party perspective helps you diagnose without bias.

Did you know that if the sun came even 1 inch closer to Earth, it will burn us all to a crisp? When you repeat small poor judgements, it compounds into catastrophic results. If you create a good habit that you do a little each day, it compounds into great results. Do not underestimate small degrees of change. Be who you want to be by developing good habits a day at a time. If it’s hard to change, change your environment. It’s easier to eat healthier when only healthy food is around.  Remove any sensory cues that can make you fall into the pattern of failure.

REFLECT: Think about a failure in your life and see if it has become a pattern. Think of ways to break free.

Your Weakness Evaporates with Results

How do you get an apple from a tree?


If you are tall, you can just stretch and get it.
If you are short: then you can ask someone to get it for you (delegation)

Climb on the shoulder of a tall friend and get it (teamwork)
Use a ladder, climb it, and get it (leverage)
Get a long stick with a hook and get it (innovation)
If none of these work,
Shake the tree until it falls. (brute force)
If it doesn’t fall, buy an apple from the supermarket. (outsourcing)
There is no excuse for no execution because of your weakness.


Your weakness evaporates with results.

If you are afraid to move because of your weaknesses, then think about this apple from the tree. There are many ways to get to the result. Delegation, Teamwork, Leverage, Tools, Brute Force and Outsourcing. If you cannot do it yourself, then find another way to execute, then your inabilities becomes irrelevant. At the end of the day, you have the apple in your hand, and that is what matters.

From the Practical Entrepreneur Revised Edition 2022

Bounce Back Philippines Part of META Community Accelerator Program 2021

We are officially META! Congratulations again to our Bounce Back PH Official team and the other global communities who were chosen to be part of the 2021 “META” acceleration program with $7M USD funding, training and a global network.

Less than 1% of the best communities in the world! Amazing work team! Creating bigger impact in helping the MSME community.

I founded Bounce Back PH on March 12, 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit us globally in order to support the MSME’s.

Check out the post of META here – https://www.facebook.com/MetaPH/photos/a.125968815746039/382318070111111/