PLDT to expand use of AI

MANILA, Philippines — Telco giant PLDT Inc. is studying how it can use artificial intelligence (AI) for customer service and network expansion in preparation for an automated future.

In an interview with reporters, PLDT president and CEO Alfredo Panlilio said the firm is looking at how it can maximize AI in developing new products and services.

“We have been looking at artificial intelligence and studying how it can help grow our business, be more efficient and be more customer-centric,” he said.

“We have to think beyond what we are doing today and innovate. The challenge for us now is to find the next big idea and possible growth areas.”

At present, the Pangilinan-led telco optimizes its systems with the help of AI. Similar to global operators, PLDT believes automation will improve the quality of its customer service given the consumer shift to digital platforms, said PLDT network head Eric Santiago.

“AI and machine learning enable PLDT to have a more predictive, and later on prescriptive, way of operating its network,” he said.

In spite of this, ePLDT president and CEO Victor Genuino said firms planning to automate their operations must ensure that only correct data will be fed into the AI.

ePLDT serves as the technology unit of PLDT and operates large-scale assets like data centers.

“These chat bots may speak English, understand Taglish and be able to negotiate with customers on an assigned date of payment, but overall, the AI application has to be driven by a very strong governance model. You cannot just load a lot of information onto AI and expect it to run just by itself,” Genuino said.

In July, PLDT’s competitor Globe Telecom Inc. announced that it may start using AI in a number of routine tasks mostly relating to customer service. This way, Globe hopes to enhance efficiency and reduce costs across its network.

In a study by the International Data Corp., the Philippines ranks 12th among 14 countries in Asia-Pacific in terms of spending for AI development.

Industries are accelerating the automation of their processes and transactions given the rise of AI platforms, especially generative AI, which can create images, texts and videos in an instant based on available data.