In the realm of technological advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as one of the most transformative forces reshaping industries worldwide. Recognizing the need to harness AI’s potential, the Philippines is on the brink of launching its very own AI research center. This initiative, spearheaded by the National Development Company (NDC), is poised to propel the country into the forefront of AI innovation while catering to the unique needs of its society.
The inception of the Philippine AI Research Center was unveiled during my CoinGeek Backstage interview with NDC General Manager Antonilo Mauricio at the Digital Pilipinas Festival 2023, who shed light on its impending launch in the first quarter of 2024.
“Under the AI Research Center is fintech, AI, blockchain, cyber, meta. A lot of these technologies that we want to have a cohesive government response to. We’re launching that in the first quarter of next year,” he said.
Delving deeper into the matter, I talked to Jer Chen, Chief Innovation Officer for the Philippine Innovation Hub (iHub), an organization operating under the NDC, tasked to run NDC initiatives, such as the Startup Venture Fund (SVF), the Philippine E-Commerce Platform, and the upcoming Philippine AI Research Center.
Discussing their initiatives for the AI Research Center, Chen provided insights into its objectives and framework, explaining, “We are a bit careful on what kind of framework that we will do for the AI.”
The hub plans to establish connections in Singapore and Hong Kong, facilitating access to expertise in AI.
“We are creating partnerships in Singapore, companies there that have very good AI standing in both government and in the private sector of Singapore. We’re bringing them here,” Chen elaborated.
The hub aims to align its efforts with global AI standards while tailoring solutions to suit the nuances of the Philippine context.
“We have to create a country filter. We have to contextualize the AI in the Philippine setting,” Chen emphasized.
Collaboration with academe is also essential in the hub’s strategy. “We seek to create more of the groundbreaking solutions that specific problems of the Philippine society might have,” Chen said, citing partnerships with universities like La Salle University, University of the Philippines, and Ateneo De Manila University.
The hub’s vision encompasses not only fostering AI adoption but also nurturing local talent and creating homegrown solutions to drive innovation in the country.
Pending approval from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and NDC stakeholders, Chen remains optimistic about the future of the AI Research Center while hoping to launch in the first quarter of 2024, saying, “Once we can access funding, we can do a lot more.”
The impending launch of the Philippine AI Research Center reflects the country’s commitment to fostering innovation and embracing emerging technologies. As Chen points out, AI technology propels the country’s potential to drive economic growth, improve public services, and enhance the daily lives of Filipinos.
Aside from the Philippine AI Center, the iHub serves as the headquarters for the Start-up Venture Fund (SVF), providing support to commercially viable startups seeking to scale their operations.
“The main objective of the SVF program is to finance or buy equity for Start-Ups that are post-seed or seed and looking for series A funding,” explains Chen.
Expanding beyond the capital city of Manila, the iHub’s SVF program aims to establish satellite sites in various regions across the Philippines.
“Our main objective is really extend our reach…one of our flagship projects now is to expand our program to the regions,” he stated. Chen discusses plans to build sites in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, focusing on supporting regional startups and identifying potential unicorns outside the metro.
Furthermore, Chen identifies the initiatives being implemented at the iHub’s SVF program, which will include but not limited to knowledge partnerships, connecting startups with venture capital firms in abroad to help them achieve unicorn status, as well as facilitating crucial conversations between government agencies and startup founders, addressing legal and structural concerns. Additionally, the hub offers coworking spaces, which will soon be accessible to startups once ongoing renovations are completed.
Chen is keen to point out the collaborative approach they have with government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in uplifting startups in the country, saying they aim to supplement rather than compete.
“We believe that there are programs that the Department of Science and Technology is pushing and the innovation centers that the Department of Information Communications and Technology is expanding in the regions. We will augment them. We are not in competition.”
In discussing the landscape of emerging technologies, particularly blockchain, Chen highlighted their approach to innovation. “Frankly speaking, we don’t have the bandwidth to do actual research. So what we do is to look for partners that are doing a lot of these innovative, technology-breaking solutions,” Chen explained. The hub’s approach revolves around forming alliances with companies like Embiggin Group, a corporate venture group, and AHG Lab, one of the largest venture builders in the Philippines, to help drive innovation in the country.
Through these efforts, the iHub not only fuels the growth of individual startups but also cultivates a brighter future for Philippine innovation and entrepreneurship.
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