QUEZON CITY, Philippines | At Novotel Manila Araneta City, the Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA), recognized as the first AI business association in Asia, formally inducted its founding Board of Directors and founding members—bringing together business leaders, government partners, and technology practitioners around a message designed to cut through hype: Filipino MSMEs do not need perfect AI. They need usable AI, responsibly deployed, and tied to real business outcomes.
Positioned as a practical bridge between artificial intelligence capabilities and enterprise value, PAIBA emphasized a business-first approach to adoption—focused on real use cases, ethical guardrails, and measurable impact, rather than experimental or purely technical implementations.
The induction was led by Dr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., President of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) and Vice Chairman of the Export Development Council, who framed AI as a competitiveness issue that must expand opportunity rather than deepen inequality.
“Artificial intelligence is no longer a future conversation. It is already shaping how business decisions are made, and how economies compete,” Ortiz-Luis said.
During the program, Founding Director Dominic Ligot shared highlights from the SWARM Philippine AI Report, noting that 54 percent of surveyed organizations have already deployed AI in early production, with 20 percent scaling and 24 percent in early use. He pointed out that adoption is increasingly being driven by business owners and executives, rather than IT teams—making governance, strategy, and business alignment critical.
PAIBA Founding President Jerry Ilao underscored the need to make AI economically accessible for MSMEs, citing how enterprise-grade deployments can cost hundreds of thousands of pesos monthly.
“With the right tools, AI is the equalizer,” Ilao said. “It allows MSMEs to analyze sales and finance, improve customer response, and create high-quality marketing outputs without large teams or expensive infrastructure.”
PAIBA Co-Founder and Vice President Anne Marie B. Francisco, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Quezon City, emphasized the importance of psychological safety in adoption.
“There are no stupid questions here. Real transformation starts when entrepreneurs feel safe to learn, experiment, and grow together,” Francisco said.
Government agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology – NCR (DOST-NCR), expressed support for PAIBA’s initiatives, highlighting the importance of inclusive and responsible innovation.
About PAIBA
The Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA) is the first AI business association in Asia, a business-led community working to accelerate practical and ethical AI adoption for MSMEs through capability-building programs, community learning, and cross-sector partnerships. PAIBA advocates for human-centered AI that empowers entrepreneurs and strengthens the Philippine digital economy.
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