The Philippines' massive business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, which employs approximately 1.9 million people and contributes roughly 10% to the national economy, is undergoing a significant transition as companies increasingly adopt artificial intelligence. For many workers, this shift has resulted in redundancy, with some employees reporting that they were tasked with training the very AI systems that eventually replaced their roles.

One former content writer, who requested anonymity due to confidentiality agreements, described the experience as having "dug my own grave" by teaching AI to mimic her professional writing style. Others noted that the introduction of AI tools often increased their workloads, requiring them to perform extensive fact-checking on inaccurate machine-generated content before they were ultimately laid off.

Industry leaders and experts offer varying perspectives on the impact of this technology. Jack Madrid, president of the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), stated that while some job functions are being automated, many affected workers are being redeployed within their organizations. He noted that broader economic factors, such as fluctuating global demand, also influence hiring decisions. Conversely, Paul Quintos of the University of the Philippines-Diliman warned of "AI washing," where companies may attribute layoffs to technological progress to mask cost-cutting measures driven by weaker market conditions.

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Major outsourcing firms, including Teleperformance, Accenture, and Concentrix, have emphasized plans to retrain staff and use AI to augment human roles rather than eliminate them. However, labor advocates point out that the sector's lack of unionization leaves workers with limited influence over how these technologies are implemented.

Government officials acknowledge that the Philippines must accelerate efforts to reskill its workforce to remain competitive against rivals like India and Singapore. Leandro Aguirre of the Department of Information and Communications Technology emphasized the need to pivot toward fostering local talent and home-grown AI companies. "The benefits of AI have to trickle down to people," Aguirre said. "It can't just benefit employers."

Source: BBC News