MICROSOFT CORP said one of its studies has found that most employers believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have a positive effect on productivity, though less than half have started to plan for the more widespread use of AI.
Microsoft, in collaboration with International Data Corp. (IDC), reported that the study Future-Ready Business: Assessing Asia Pacific’s Growth Potential Through AI had 74% of respondents agreeing that AI will help them perform their existing jobs better or reduce repetitive tasks.
Microsoft Solutions Specialist for Data and AI Solutions Jek D. Hermida said both businesses and employees surveyed expressed no fear of AI displacing workers.
“If you look at this study, leaders and workers alike believe that AI will augment and not replace jobs,” she said, adding that it will enable employees and businesses to become more efficient.
During the launch of the study on Thursday, Microsoft Asia Pacific Enterprises and Partners Group General Manager Ricky Kapur said: “AI brings with it the promise of (not just) being able to help companies transform but also brings with it the promise of being able to help companies create more productivity, more growth, more innovation… It helps companies compete at the global stage.”
Microsoft said that only 45% of Philippine organizations have started their transition to AI. This percentage consists of 35% of those who started to experiment with AI and 10% who have made AI part of their core business functions.
Of those that have yet to begin AI initiatives, IDC Philippines Head of Operations Randy Roberts said, “24% haven’t done anything yet in terms of the AI strategy and the second group is 31% who are waiting to see what happens with AI (and) where the value is.”
For those who have implemented AI, the top business driver is to improve customer engagement (27%). Other top drivers are innovation (24%); the need to be more competitive (16%); improve productivity (10%); and raise margins (8%). — Gillian M. Cortez

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