BPO firm braces for AI by workforce upskilling

CEBU, Philippines — A Cebu-based outsourcing company has started its move to prepare for AI (Artificial Intelligence) disruptions by “upskilling” its work force moving up to higher value services.

AmeeraTel president Roland del Rosario said his company will need skills for higher value services such as analytics, data science, robotics, as AI is slowly taking over the voice-services in outsourcing.

As his company is preparing for this disruption, Del Rosario urged the Philippine authorities to start programs that would support the development of non-voice outsourcing industry, such as creating modules or courses that would provide talents in this future skill requirement.

Del Rosario projects that in the next 10 years or so, voice service in outsourcing will be totally out-dated as AI will take over this particular job assignment.

Thus, as early as now, his company, which is headquartered in Chicago, has started training or hiring engineers that will develop programs, such as customized solutions to companies around the world, particularly in the United States, such as designing how to secure data, cloud infra servers, among others.

Meanwhile, the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry is set to pilot educational programs to reskill and upskill 1 million workers over five years to adapt to automation.

Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President and Chief Executive Officer Rey C. Untal earlier announced that the industry’s upskilling program aims to exceed the 100,000 per year employment growth target.