The Philippines has the second-highest share of employees across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) whose jobs have at least minimal exposure to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), according to a new study by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
In a recent release, the ILO said the Philippines has a 28.1% share of workers with at least minimal exposure to GenAI, second only to Singapore at 42.2%. The country's relatively service and information technology-oriented economy helps explain its high ranking.
Trailing the Philippines were Indonesia at 21.7%, Vietnam at 20.8%, and Thailand at 20.6%. The 80 million exposed workers account for 22.9% of ASEAN's total employment. Of the region's total workforce, 3.3% were identified as belonging to the highest exposure category for GenAI, while around 67% remained in jobs with no identified exposure.
Highly exposed occupations have continued to record employment growth across ASEAN. However, the report notes that GenAI adoption remains at an early and uneven stage, with use concentrated in technology-intensive occupations and comparatively limited uptake in office and administrative roles despite their high exposure.
The report also identified uneven "preparedness gaps" across ASEAN countries, with Singapore standing out as a globally competitive AI ecosystem due to its advanced digital infrastructure, strong talent pool, and whole-of-government approach to AI implementation.
Interestingly, the study found that young workers aged 15 to 24 and adult workers have broadly similar levels of exposure to GenAI. However, women are more than twice as likely as men to work in occupations with high GenAI exposure, indicating a significant gender gap in AI exposure.
To ensure AI innovation delivers inclusive economic benefits across ASEAN, the ILO called for human-centered AI governance. It also urged expanding upskilling and reskilling programs, particularly for women and youth, supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in overcoming barriers to AI adoption, and strengthening knowledge exchange and human resource development across ASEAN.
