As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to move from hype to real-world implementation, its role in enterprise innovation, productivity, and transformation was at the forefront of PLDT Enterprise’s Tech Week PH Davao.
In a session titled “From Vision to Execution: How AI Accelerates Enterprises Efficiency and Innovation,” thought leaders from ePLDT and Microsoft shared practical insights on how AI is transforming the way forward-thinking organizations operate.
The session brought together Amil Azurin, Chief Commercial Officer at ePLDT, and Miguel Arcilla, Senior Partner Solution Architect for Data and AI at Microsoft who provided practical insights into leveraging AI for productivity, decision-making, and growth.
AI in the Enterprise: From Possibility to Productivity
“AI is not here to replace people—it’s here to redefine how we work,” Azurin stated, addressing an audience of industry leaders. Drawing on insights from PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, he likened today’s AI transformation to past disruptions—like the shift from carriages to cars—where changes gave way to opportunities. “Humanity has never been shaped by the jobs we lose. We are defined by the future we create,” he added, quoting MVP.
Rather than eliminate jobs, AI enables businesses to offload repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and empower their workforce to focus on strategy and creativity. Azurin cited studies showing that 78% of employees would delegate work to AI to reduce workloads, and 83% are already using AI for analysis, creative work, and task support.
Making AI Work: Leadership, Infrastructure, and Readiness
Azurin urged business and industry leaders to make AI a strategic priority, noting that CEO-led initiatives are 2.5x more likely to achieve higher ROI. He outlined the pillars of effective AI integration:
• Executive Sponsorship and Education
• Workforce Reskilling and Process Redesign
• Flexible Infrastructure and Data Governance
Despite growing adoption, barriers remain. Only 36% of enterprises have scaled generative AI, and just 13% report enterprise-level value. The biggest roadblocks? Unstructured data, limited AI expertise, and insufficient infrastructure investment. Addressing these gaps is essential for organizations that want to lead the next phase of digital transformation.
Microsoft’s Vision: AI Agents, Copilots, and the Future of Work
Miguel Arcilla of Microsoft shared a technology-forward perspective on how AI is being embedded into every business process—from marketing and HR to customer service, legal, IT, and R&D.
“AI is no longer experimental—it’s transforming every function of the modern enterprise,” Arcilla noted, citing that 93% of organizations are now exploring multiple AI models, yet less than 30% are moving from experimentation to production.
A key innovation? AI-powered agents and copilots—automated tools that can perform tasks like summarizing documents, processing transactions, writing code, generating insights, and even handling customer queries. Microsoft’s platforms, including Azure AI, Copilot Studio, and GitHub Copilot, are enabling companies to bend the curve on innovation, improve employee experience, and drive continuous learning.
Arcilla also emphasized the importance of trust and responsible AI. Microsoft’s Responsible AI Principles—which include transparency, inclusiveness, privacy, and fairness—are critical in ensuring that adoption is safe, secure, and sustainable.
Unlocking Enterprise Value, Responsibly
The forum concluded with a panel discussion, moderated by Kate Echavarria, Assistant Vice President and Product Management Head for Cloud, Data, and AI Solutions at ePLDT, that addressed the ethical dimensions of AI. Alongside Azurin and Arcilla was Vikaas Madaan, Director of Sales for Asia Pacific at CSG, who joined the discussion on balancing speed of adoption with governance, transparency, and workforce enablement.
At the core of the conversation was a shared message: AI must empower people—not replace them. Organizations that integrate AI with a clear strategy, continuous upskilling, and a strong data foundation will be the ones that lead.
“AI is a tool that, when guided by leadership and purpose, unlocks human potential and business growth,” Azurin concluded.
As AI continues to evolve, PLDT Enterprise and ePLDT stand ready to support Filipino businesses in navigating the opportunities ahead. From infrastructure to AI-driven solutions, their expertise helps organizations turn possibilities into performance.
Tech Week PH 2025 is powered by Cisco, Alibaba Cloud, CSG, Ericsson, Fortinet, Huawei, Avolution, Fibercom Telecom, Canon, Delinea, Dream, Hikvision, Kital Connect, Pronet, Quanta Dance, Soprano, and Trend Micro.
