Generative synthetic intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm, to the point that the emerging technological tool already follows and continues to advise the direction of many industries and workforces.
In the Philippines, in particular, the impact of generative AI will be most felt in tech sectors such as the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, where it’ll prove to be a transformative force worth up to P30 billion in the next two to four years, as online learning platform Coursera believes.
That’s why the U. S. company, founded in 2012 through Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, professors of computer science at Stanford University, says reskilling and upskilling will be important in an AI-driven economy.
The platform offers courses, certifications, and degrees in a wide range of subjects.
We were able to have a quick Q&A with Coursera’s Asia-Pacific and India managing director, Raghav Gupta, where we asked him how disruptive generative AI can be for industries in the Philippines, and how it’ll affect the local business and education landscape.
Below, he shares his thoughts on the matter, as well as the exciting opportunities and situations that the generation brings, as well as the company’s plans in the next era of AI.
Raghav Gupta (RG): Like most economies, the Philippines is also on the cusp of a major transformation with the integration of AI, which will have a significant impact on sectors such as science, health, education, and the United States. IT-BPM sector, which employs more than 1. 3 million workers.
The rise in automation, accelerated by the pandemic, has already led to a rapid digitization of work processes. Generative AI further intensifies this trend, and has the potential to unlock substantial economic value for the Philippines, estimated at $79.3 billion.
However, this requires a professional in the virtual realm, focused on continuous learning and development, especially for roles such as engineers, knowledge scientists, and practitioners.
To cope with those changes, the Philippine government has developed the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. This strategy aims to maximise the benefits of AI across sectors, address the demanding situations unique to the country, and ensure that businesses and staff have the supply needed to take advantage of AI insights while managing their risks.
Ultimately, the integration of AI in the Philippines represents a dynamic shift in the economy and landscape, providing opportunities for innovation, increased productivity, and global competitiveness. It requires strategic planning and adaptation, whether in the personal sector or through government initiatives. to leverage all of AI’s perspectives while addressing its challenges.
RG: Digital transformation and emerging technologies like generative AI are transforming the way we work and their influence extends to a wide diversity of knowledge workers. For example, warehouse workers would possibly want to be informed about how to use virtual teams for stock and sales tracking. Teams may want to understand data analytics for better forecasting and strategic decision-making, and IT support workers may want to learn about new software systems and applications.
Many Coursera for Business consumers are investing in worker progression toward their virtual and knowledge skills, allowing them to keep up with new equipment and practices.
While employers and employees are looking for generation skills such as knowledge research and software progression, we also see a persistent need for human skills such as communication, challenge solving, computer literacy, and control.
As AI rushes through and puts more jobs at risk, leadership will become increasingly important. Leaders are the ones who help workers find their way around and even drive change. This is a unique human ability, which AI will probably never replace.
Our 2023 Career Skills Report, which draws on insights from millions of Coursera learners, identifies that the fastest-growing skills are virtual skills in spaces such as Scrum software development, visitor good luck tools, CRM [visitor appointment tracking software], and user enjoyment. in design.
The study also found that skills combining technical expertise and task control have increased in the past year, and that the demand for personal skills, such as control and communication, has remained strong over time, highlighting their continued need.
RG: Generative AI is destined to dramatically evolve the learning experience, and we deliver on the promise of personalized, interactive learning at scale: anything that classical higher education isn’t yet able to do well.
It has the potential to signal the play box for students, especially ESL students, who can use it as a rugged writing assistant and thought partner.
RG: The technology will reshape many aspects of how we design and deliver education today. Content will be generated at a rate and cost like never before, but it’ll make expert knowledge even more valuable.
Lately we’ve been testing Coursera Course Builder, a tool that uses generative AI to generate course content, adding structure, descriptions, assignments, and applicable material, based on undeniable activations from a human author.
This democratization of content production will allow universities to focus more on providing enriching campus experiences. The learning experience will evolve from passive video watching to active engagement with AI-powered chatbots, offering personalized, 24/7 assistance – something we’re aiming for with Coursera Coach.
In terms of assessments, you will move from simply explaining the concepts learned to applying them, with practical assessments, organizational projects, and measuring comfortable skills such as teamwork, empathy, critical thinking, expansion mindset, and initiative.
However, academics and universities want to understand how to use generative AI ethically and effectively. We propose that universities set transparent expectations for academics and put policies in place that specify when and where AI equipment can be used.
Students will also need to assign any paint generated through the AI tools. If used ethically and effectively, AI promises learning experiences particularly, opening up economic opportunities for scholars around the world.
RG: We collaborate with industry experts and leading universities to make our course catalog meet the desires of students and the job market.
Earlier this month, we introduced a new beginner’s course, “Generative AI for All,” taught by global AI leader Andrew Ng, which is helping people, including those with comfortable experience, learn how generative AI paints work and their effects. an effect on paintings and everyday life.
To date, we offer more than 825 AI-related courses on the platform delivered through global experts, and many are focused on GenAI, such as Vanderbilt University’s Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT, generative AI with giant language models from DeepLearning. AI, and AWS. and Introduction to Generative. Google Cloud AI.
In the Philippines, we have over two million learners, and work with many companies, universities and government entities as Ayala Corporation, Globe Telecom, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Ayala Land, Mapua University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Department of Science and Technology to help them develop the skills and talent base to harness the power of generative AI as the need for digital transformation becomes even more urgent.
AI is also a core component of the solution to make learning even more effective. Technology has allowed us to increase the quality and reduce educational content, reduce language barriers through machine translation, and the learning experience by making it more personalized and interactive. – Rappler. com