TLDR: Microsoft Philippines urges local businesses to prioritize expertise development and responsible data practices to effectively leverage agentic artificial intelligence (AI). A recent Microsoft report indicates high confidence among Philippine leaders in AI agents, yet a significant gap in employee familiarity. The company emphasizes the critical need for robust AI governance frameworks and strategic investment to navigate the evolving AI-enhanced future.
MANILA, Philippines – Philippine businesses are being strongly advised by Microsoft to cultivate deep expertise and implement rigorous training for agentic artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure responsible deployment and guard against biases. This guidance comes as organizations globally, including those in the Philippines, prepare for an era where AI agents will play an increasingly central role in business operations.
Peter D. Maquera, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Philippines, underscored the human responsibility in shaping AI. “The agents aren’t people — they are designed by us. So, we’re the ones that ground the AI, point it to the data that it works with, and we’re the ones that train it against biases and wrong information,” Maquera stated in an interview with BusinessWorld. He further highlighted that without the necessary AI expertise to architect these systems within an organization, large-scale deployment would be impossible, confining AI use to individual levels.
According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index report, a significant 89% of Philippine leaders express confidence in integrating AI agents as digital team members to expand their workforce capacity within the next 12 to 18 months. However, the report also reveals a notable disparity in AI familiarity: while 60% of Philippine leaders are extremely familiar with AI agents, only 42% of employees share the same level of understanding. Reflecting the growing interest, 80% of company leaders in the Philippines are considering adding AI-focused roles.
Maquera emphasized that the rising organizational interest in AI-powered tools necessitates the integration of comprehensive AI governance frameworks into business models. “For AI to work, you have to be able to trust it. It has to be fair, transparent, and you have to be able to trace where it’s getting its data,” he explained. He also stressed the importance of data governance, including classifying data sensitivity, protecting personal identities, and preventing data leaks or theft.
Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index report also introduces the concept of a ‘frontier firm’ – an organizational blueprint that seamlessly combines machine intelligence with human judgment. The journey to becoming such a firm is envisioned in three phases: starting with humans assisted by AI, progressing to human-agent teams, and ultimately reaching a state of human-led, agent-operated systems.
“Organizations today must navigate the challenge of preparing for an AI-enhanced future, where AI agents will gain increasing levels of capability over time that humans will need to harness as they redesign their business,” Microsoft noted in the report. The Work Trend Index survey, conducted by independent research firm Edelman Data x Intelligence between February 6 and March 24, surveyed approximately 31,000 full-time employed or self-employed knowledge workers across 31 markets, including the Philippines.
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Business leaders are urged to ensure that their AI investments are strategically aligned with their organization’s specific needs and to prioritize technologies that demonstrably boost value creation.
