DTI to launch National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap

MAKATI CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will unveil the country’s Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) Roadmap on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 10:00am via online webinar and live streamed through the Department's official Facebook channels.

With most countries around the world embracing A.I. as fundamental to increasing their productivity and competitiveness, DTI aims to ensure that the Philippines will benefit from the rising AI industry, which is estimated to increase worldwide GDP by 14% by 2030 or an infusion of US$15.7 trillion into the global economy.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said, “The country’s artificial intelligence (A.I.) roadmap will position the Philippines as an A.I. center of excellence and a big data processing and analytics hub providing high-value data analytics and A.I. services to the world. This will be our next high value service-winner after BPO!”

Amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), DTI's vision for the Philippines to become an AI hub in the ASEAN region is part of its Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S) that will drive the competitiveness of the country’s industries.

The Roadmap lays down the strategic imperatives and tasks of the government, industry, and the academe. One of its main recommendations is the private sector-led establishment of the National Center for A.I. Research (N-CAIR), which will serve as the country’s shared hub for A.I. research to support the digital transformation of the country’s enterprises and industries.

Secretary Lopez explained, “The N-CAIR will build the capacity of companies to produce new products, processes, and services using AI. It will help them apply AI in their operations to, among many potential AI applications, could be on how to avoid spoilage of agricultural produce, predict maintenance of equipment and optimize processes in factories, and enhance their business decision-making through advanced analytics – leading to more operational efficiencies and innovation.”

Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation Rafaelita Aldaba explained that, "Building the N-CAIR is important in attracting tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon to locate their AI R&D in the Philippines as well as in empowering our workers with skills to find quality jobs and in scaling Filipino AI solutions to the world."

Secretary Lopez also stressed that, "A national strategy to mobilize resources for the increased adoption and utilization of A.I. in the country can have tremendous impact on achieving our goals to advance our industrial development and generating more and better entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for our people.”

Watch the AI Roadmap launch at the DTI Facebook page and the DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group page.