Tech summit establishes AI trends in PH
Over a thousand interested participants gathered to take action on shaping the future of the country with AI.
ARTIFICIAL intelligence will transform society in a very different way in the next few years. As AI is incorporated into many aspects in society, from education, communications, e-commerce, finance, to logistics and transportation, it is expected to change the way people will do business, engage in work or class or travel from place to place.
This is the conclusion of the inaugural “AI Summit PH 2023: Redefining the Future with AI” held last May 10 and 11 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City.
The event, which was reported to have a crowd of over 1,000 attendees was organized by Aboitiz Data Innovation (ADI), the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI) arm of the Aboitiz Group.
In partnership with Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), Aboitiz Equity Ventures, and Google Cloud, the event brought together industry professionals from various sectors and broke open the discussion, inciting action on shaping the future of the country with AI.
So, while data is king, AI is queen
“Digital innovation can be a force after all for economic and social transformation, environmental sustainability, and inclusion. However, we cannot maximize its benefits if we do not have adequate ICT infrastructure to support digital innovation – if we do not address systematically the digital divide,” Rep. Benitez said emphasizing the need for collaboration and cooperation in building a culture that is both innovative and equipped with digital and practical skills necessary to “flourish in a brave new world.”
The summit featured real-world use cases of data being turned into actionable insights and deep-dived into discussions on the challenges, opportunities, and advancements within the AI and tech space.
Through a series talks, fireside chats, panel discussions, knowledge sessions, and networking opportunities, the AI Summit PH 2023 provided a platform for industry leaders, tech innovators, and game-changers to share valuable insights and actionable use cases of AI implementation.
Attendees were exposed to a diverse range of topics, exploring the immense potential of AI in revolutionizing various sectors, driving sustainable urban development, transforming financial services, powering sustainable smart cities, and operationalizing DSAI.
Google Cloud Southeast Asia’s Regional Customer Solutions Manager Richard Coombes delivered a presentation on how Google is bringing AI to users, business, and society. He also participated in a panel discussion on Generative AI with leaders from ADI and Amazon Web Services. Tiffany Adriana, Google Data Analytics – Southeast Asia Customer Solution Consultant joined experts from Connected Women and KPMG Philippines to discuss data-driven foundations with a focus on data literacy and inclusion.
The AI Summit PH 2023 also served as an exceptional platform for networking and collaboration, fostering connections among industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with tech innovators and game-changers, expanding their professional networks and exploring potential partnerships.
During the two-day summit, ADI and Connected Women launched its partnership on empowering the latter’s members to take on advanced services such as data handling, language annotation, and image annotation for ADI’s Data Science and Artificial intelligence projects.
ADI and Mila’s partnership on building responsible AI solutions for the power sector was also announced during the Summit through a ceremonial signing. Mila, headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, focuses its mission on core research areas such as health, environment and climate change, and AI ethics. Mila extends its expertise and leadership in AI to deliver advances that will benefit all of society.
On the financial services front, LBC Express, Inc., ADI, and UnionBank signed a tripartite agreement to champion financial sustainability at the inaugural AI Summit. Through this initiative, LBC clients will have access to small business financing from UnionBank to help finance their expansion plans. The SeekCap Embedded Scoring Agreement was also signed by UBX and ADI during the event.
On the second day of the summit, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy presented an overview of the DSAI landscape in the Philippines and future prospects of these technologies within the country.
“Digital transformation is about constantly adapting and optimizing new solutions to the ever-changing needs of society, and it starts with deeper and more meaningful partnerships between the government and the private sector. And we all share a common goal of transforming the country and accelerating its progress through the use of all these emerging technologies,” Secretary Uy said.
“We are thrilled with the success of the AI Summit, which surpassed our expectations in terms of attendance and engagement. This event truly showcases the potential of AI to revolutionize industries and drive sustainable development in the Philippines. We are proud to have provided a platform for meaningful discussions and collaborations that will shape the future of AI in the Philippines,” Dr. David R. Hardoon, Chief Executive Officer of ADI said as he expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming response to the first-ever AI Summit in the country and the active participation of industry and government leaders and diverse professionals. — with Raymond B. Tribdino
