The Agentic AI talk is hot right now, but several CIOs from large banks, hospitals, retailers, energy and manufacturing companies in the Philippines said they need to see a clear use case before spending money on the new technology.
Paul Siy, CIO of a bank, said, “Stop throwing buzzwords at me. I'd rather see how other banks are using it. How will it help the bank's productivity, revenue, or security?” Another CIO added that many are adopting AI but only 27% of implementations are successful. So it's important to make sure it's clear what problem Agentic AI can solve.
As for the health sector, a hospital CIO said they are more cautious because the industry is regulated. They don't use AI unless it has a clear benefit. They prefer tested solutions from other hospitals before applying it here.
Some tech experts also admit that Agentic AI is still hype. According to them, like the internet and mobile before, it will go through a hype cycle. Therefore, companies should be practical and use AI for real needs such as lower costs, better customer service, or faster innovation.
A tech CEO added that data quality is also important because advanced AI is useless if the data is not correct or complete. In addition, Filipinos also need to be upskill to become AI-literate and focus on skills that AI cannot simply replace, such as critical thinking, creativity, and leadership.
