Global technology and consulting firm Accenture said the Philippines must strengthen digital skills, expand infrastructure, and establish responsible AI governance if it hopes to capitalize on artificial intelligence’s economic potential.
During a media briefing, Accenture Philippines country managing director and technology lead Ambe C. Tierro said AI has become a key driver of economic growth worldwide and that the Philippines is well positioned to benefit if it invests in developing an AI-ready workforce.
Citing international studies, Accenture said AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, while the International Monetary Fund estimates AI could unlock $79 billion in productive capacity for the Philippines by the same year, equivalent to about one-fifth of the country’s 2022 GDP.
The company also pointed to growing demand for AI-related skills in the country, noting that job postings requiring at least one AI skill increased from 8,000 in 2021 to 56,000 in 2025. Generative AI-related vacancies also grew 115-fold between 2021 and 2024.
According to Accenture, the Philippines is entering the AI era with several advantages, including a young workforce, a large IT and business services sector, a strong base of micro, small and medium enterprises, and the government’s National AI Strategy Roadmap.
The company said building an AI-ready Philippines requires progress in three areas: readiness, innovation, and responsibility.
For readiness, Accenture recommended strengthening AI and digital literacy across all levels of education, expanding workforce training programs, and improving digital infrastructure through reliable internet access and dependable electricity nationwide.
It cited the Department of Education’s Project AGAP.AI and the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Philippines AI+ Infrastructure Masterplan 2033 as examples of government initiatives supporting these goals.
To foster innovation, the firm called for greater investment in specialized skills such as data engineering, machine learning, cybersecurity, and digital risk management.
It also recommended stronger collaboration between industry and academia through curriculum development, apprenticeships, and programs that align graduates’ skills with market demand, while encouraging broader AI adoption among small businesses and regional innovation hubs.
On responsible AI deployment, Accenture said organizations should adopt governance frameworks that prioritize privacy, security, transparency, human oversight, and inclusive growth.
It noted that the Department of Economy, Planning and Development is finalizing an AI Governance Framework to support responsible AI adoption in the country.
Accenture also highlighted its own AI workforce initiatives, saying it invests about $1 billion annually in employee learning and development worldwide.
The company said it has trained 550,000 employees in generative AI fundamentals, certified 300,000 workers in agentic AI, and expanded its AI and data practice from 40,000 to more than 85,000 professionals in less than three years.
“The decisive factor will be how quickly the Philippines can transform its human capital so that skills, talent pipelines and institutional capabilities can keep pace with AI diffusion, enabling the country to responsibly deliver higher-value services with inclusive outcomes that leave no business or worker behind,” Tierro said.
