Xurpas Inc. Urges Businesses to Use AI

Globally, artificial intelligence (AI) is already permeating industries; nevertheless, the Philippines is lagging behind other regional players in terms of acceptance and readiness. According to a recent assessment by the multinational technology giant Salesforce, out of twelve countries evaluated in the Asia-Pacific area, the country comes in last for overall AI preparedness. To calculate each nation's total score, the study examined variables like human capital, the number of AI companies, digital governance, and digital progress.

Businesses that have effectively used AI are said to have experienced the highest productivity increases. According to a 2023 study cited in a Nielsen Norman Group analysis, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to increase worker productivity by at least 66%.

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is unlocking the potential of industries around the globe, and to stay competitive, Philippine businesses need to seriously consider how they can integrate AI into their operations as well as train their workforce to adapt these new innovations,” says Fernando Jude Garcia, Xurpas Chief Technology Officer and General Manager of its new artificial intelligence and data science unit, Xurpas AI Lab (XAIL).

XAIL, which debuted late last year, offers a variety of AI solutions, data science services, and consulting to assist companies in utilizing data and AI to address practical business issues and seize chances for long-term strategic benefit. Since the Philippines is still lagging behind its neighbors in terms of AI readiness, XAIL believes there is tremendous potential for the country to not only catch up to the rest of the region but even overtake it in a few years. “All it takes is the proper foundational support to ensure the AI adoption is done right. We at XAIL are more than ready to provide exactly that,” continues Garcia. ”We won’t stop at just one industry. We want to empower all sectors to lean into AI,” he adds.

The tech industry is visibly far ahead of all other industries in terms of AI maturity, but the use of AI is also expanding steadily across the board.

For example, AI is currently being used by marketers for audience segmentation, e-commerce, chatbots for customer support, content creation, and programmatic advertising. Marketing is one of the four corporate sectors that stands to benefit the most from artificial intelligence (AI), according to a 2023 McKinsey analysis. Additionally, manufacturers are using AI and machine learning more frequently to improve their supply chains, increase throughput, and quicken R&D. AI helps companies in the banking and financial services industry identify abnormalities and deviant instances swiftly, stop fraud, and make data-driven choices more quickly.

The public sector in the Philippines is beginning to recognize the benefits of AI. The Master of Science in Data Science program and the Analytics, Computing, and Complex Systems Laboratory of the Asian Institute of Management collaborated on two projects that sought to enhance service delivery in two government agencies: the Freedom of Information Project Management Office and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. They assisted the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in developing an artificial intelligence (AI) decision assistance tool that reduced the 20,000 man-hours required for the review and validation of 2,000 financial statements to only 11 minutes. They helped the FOI Project Management Office apply AI to cut down on the turnaround time per request from two to four days to thirty-two seconds.

“In the grander scheme of things, AI can really help the country’s economy grow at a pace faster than what we’ve seen before,” Garcia says.

However, Mr. Garcia also emphasizes that for AI to be properly integrated in the Philippines, businesses must know that adapting the technology is radically different from normal software deployment. "It's not plug-and-play," Garcia observes, adding that realistic expectations must be set, the overall cost of ownership must be comprehended, and enterprise data management must be redesigned for successful adoption. He also emphasizes how important it is for knowledgeable people to run and teach AI systems. "For an organization's AI platform to consistently perform at its best, the individuals operating it need to undergo upskilling," Garcia says.

However, XAIL's extremely cooperative and realistic approach to deploying AI will guarantee that all company levels, irrespective of their existing situation, will be equipped to use AI to drive transformation.

“We at XAIL are looking to take real, practical steps toward AI alongside our valued clients and partners. We recognize that since AI is quite new, trust is a factor that is paramount for people, whether it’s the consumer or business owner,” says Garcia. “With a comprehensive set of services and products designed to achieve tangible success for our clients, we aim to become the top partner for AI enablement in the Philippines who will help local industries navigate this quickly evolving landscape.”