Agentic AI set to transform BPO industry: AI ethics advocate
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines and beyond, according to an AI ethics advocate.
What makes agentic AI different
In a recent episode of Bilyonaryo News Channel‘s “Tech Week,” AI and technology consultant Dominic Ligot explained that agentic AI differs from conventional language models in three key ways: “One is, it’s not just about text. These models are now what we call multimodal. They can use images, voice, video, pretty much all media.”
Additionally, these AI agents can “prompt themselves and think through a complex problem,” and “interact with the outside world” by performing tasks like booking flights or searching the internet.
Unlike traditional generative AI which focuses primarily on content creation, agentic AI is process-oriented.
Job transformation, not elimination
Despite concerns about job displacement, Ligot reassured that AI adoption would lead to job transformation rather than elimination.
“The name of the game is really job augmentation, task automation. So it’s not eliminating jobs, it’s enriching the jobs,” he said.
The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) reports that while 8% of its members have seen decreased headcount due to AI, a higher 13% have actually increased their workforce. With IBPAP projecting nearly 2 million workers by 2026, the industry appears poised for growth despite technological disruption.
Ligot emphasized that businesses should view AI as an opportunity to maximize productivity: “Out of the 20 staff you have, arm them with agents. They can now do the work of 100. That’s the business case behind it.”
Looking toward the future, Ligot advocated for a shift from credential-based to skill-based education, noting that many digital jobs “don’t require any degree, as long as you can prove that you can do the job better.”
As companies continue to adopt AI technologies, Ligot warned that competitive advantage will belong to those who embrace change: “It’s not AI that will put companies out of business. It’s AI-driven companies that will put non-AI-driven companies out of business.”
Watch the full episode here:
