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News » AI accent neutralization to transform Philippine BPO industry: experts

AI accent neutralization to transform Philippine BPO industry: experts

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Photo from Belinda Lawley/Alamy

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippine Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry is set to improve customer service delivery through artificial intelligence (AI) accent neutralization technology.

According to industry leaders, this technology, which adjusts agents’ accents without altering their voices, is expected to significantly enhance the quality of customer interactions.

Jack Madrid, president and CEO of the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), emphasized the advantages of AI in reducing call handling times and improving overall customer experience. 

“It’s going to reduce handling times and improve the quality of customer experience across the board,” Madrid said. He mentioned a demonstration by Sanas, a Silicon Valley-based company, where an agent from Samar spoke in a neutral North American accent without losing her natural voice.

AI technology expands job opportunities in rural areas

Sanas’ AI accent neutralization technology is already being used by over 30,000 agents in India and the Philippines. 

Anant Singh, head of go-to-market at Sanas, explained that this technology allows companies to hire from a broader talent pool, including rural areas outside major cities like Manila. 

“Companies can now expand out of hubs like Manila and go into areas like Cabanatuan and Davao,” Singh noted.

The expansion into rural areas could increase hiring by up to 36%, creating new job opportunities for Filipinos who were previously excluded from the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector due to accent barriers. 

Singh added that Sanas’ technology enables businesses to focus on hiring based on skills rather than accents, which had traditionally limited opportunities for many Filipino workers.

Accelerated AI adoption in Philippine BPO sector

A recent IBPAP survey revealed that 67% of IT-BPM firms in the Philippines are already using AI in their operations. AI applications are primarily focused on customer service, data entry, and quality assurance roles. 

Despite concerns that automation could lead to job losses, only 8% of firms reported workforce reductions due to AI implementation.

Experts believe that AI will ultimately create new job opportunities. Benjamin Velasco, assistant professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, noted that while some jobs may be displaced by automation, others will be created. 

“Others like chatbots will have a labor displacement effect. But like other tech, it will destroy but also create jobs. People are needed to train AI,” Velasco said.

Collaboration needed for sustainable growth

While AI promises improved efficiency, there are concerns about its potential impact on employment. 

Leonardo Lanzona, an economics professor at Ateneo de Manila University, stressed the importance of collaboration between the government and private sector to ensure that AI adoption leads to job creation rather than unemployment. 

“We need to be selective about the types of technology we will adapt… so that it creates new jobs,” Lanzona stated.

IBPAP has set ambitious goals for the industry, targeting $38 billion in revenues and a 7% growth in headcount by the end of 2024. AI-driven innovations like accent neutralization are expected to play a key role in achieving these targets by improving operational efficiency and expanding employment opportunities across the country.

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