Microsoft gears up to lead the Philippines into the era of AI with 2024 AI Summit

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 18 January 2024 — Microsoft Philippines continues to showcase its leadership in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) with its recently concluded AI Summit 2024, officially launching Microsoft’s innovations to organizations and professionals across the Philippines.

2023 was a landmark year for Microsoft, as it integrated generative AI into its entire stack of cloud technology solutions. The year saw the announcement and launch of major AI developments such as Microsoft Copilot, marking a pivotal shift in the company’s focus towards full-scale AI integration.

To help guide its customers and partners’ innovation and responsible adoption of AI, Microsoft initiated a global series of summits with the Philippine leg hosted at the Makati Shangri-la just last week in front of over 350 leaders from public and private sector organizations. The summit’s agenda was packed with opportunities for attendees to deepen their understanding of the current state of AI and its potential to revolutionize business operations, featuring Microsoft experts and thought leaders from across the region, as well as partners and early adopters in the Philippines.

“We started talking about generative AI about a year ago now. In January 2023, ChatGPT came out and it gained over 100 million users in its first six weeks. It was unprecedented back then,” said Peter Maquera, Chief Executive Officer at Microsoft Philippines. “Fast forward to January 2024, IDC study reports that 71% of companies are now using AI in some form. The age of AI is here, and we encourage everyone to get started and learn as much as they can, be curious, experiment, and be patient as we all embark on this AI journey.”

The Microsoft AI Summit 2024 marked a significant milestone for AI adoption in the Philippines. By showcasing Microsoft’s latest AI innovations and providing valuable insights from industry leaders, the summit empowered organizations and professionals across the country to harness the transformative potential of AI. This event not only demonstrated the real-world applications and benefits of AI but also highlighted Microsoft’s commitment to driving responsible AI use.

“We’re ushering in a new era of AI that’s changing the way we do business,” explained Manoj Purohit, Chief Operating Officer and Business Applications Managing Director at Microsoft Asia. He shared that 87% of the Philippines is already in early stages of AI adoption. “Our goal is to hide the complexity of AI and keep it simple for our partners. Through the adoption of our solutions, we aim to help businesses future-proof their operations and gain a competitive edge through the power of AI.”

Microsoft invited customers and partners who have begun their AI innovation to share their insights and experiences in a series of panel discussions throughout the summit. Organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, BDO Unibank, China Bank, the Department of Budget and Management, Inspiro, SoftwareOne, and Security Bank have started using Microsoft AI solutions to transform how their employees work and how they serve their stakeholders.

The Microsoft AI Summit 2024 further underscored Microsoft’s work in revolutionizing industries by integrating AI into its suite of solutions, including Microsoft Copilot, which made waves across industries when it was first launched in 2023 and eventually expanding to Security Copilot and 365 Copilot. To date, Microsoft has integrated Copilot across all its platforms and applications, introducing new solutions such as Copilot Studio, Copilot Purview, Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service, and Copilot in Power Automate—all of which are now available in the Philippines. The company’s AI-infused applications and experiences are designed to empower organizations, driving business value and spurring industry innovation.

Beyond innovation, the use of AI in the workplace has been multifold. According to Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index, Copilot for Microsoft 365 has been shown to reduce digital debt—the accumulation of all the technology work an organization needs to do in the future, which not only hampers its ability to compete, but also makes integrating new products and capabilities prohibitively costly if not managed appropriately—and increase productivity. The research showed that 70% of Copilot users said they were more productive, 68% said it improved the quality of their work, and users were 29% faster at specific tasks such as searching, writing, and summarizing. Overall, 77% of users said once they use Copilot, they are unwilling to give it up.

“We are seeing a new alliance between the workforce and artificial intelligence, which is why Microsoft Copilot is such a critical solution for us. We aren’t replacing the people, but enhancing the way they work,” explained Ricky Haryadi, GTM Lead for Modern Work & Security at Microsoft ASEA, discussing how AI is reshaping work environments and processes. He shared that despite initial apprehension, 70% of people are already delegating tasks to AI. “Microsoft Copilot will reinvent work as we currently know it. We are already seeing changes across industries, especially with our early adaptors—from manufacturing to digital natives, logistics to healthcare, we are seeing industries taking massive steps towards AI and Microsoft Copilot,” he added.

“The AI Summit 2024 has set the stage for a new era of innovation in the Philippines. It’s inspiring to see how receptive businesses are to ethically and responsibly adopting AI,” stated Maquera. “We’re excited about the possibilities this opens up for the future, as we continue to empower every person and organization in the Philippines to achieve more through AI.”