Like a student in a coastal area who finally experiences stable internet connection and can now tinker with AI applications beyond social media browsing, or a food stall owner who knows how to monitor his supplies through simple applications of machine learning.
No, these aren’t scenarios painted during a technology convention. These are some of the outcomes documented in the report released by the Department of Information and Communications Technology on its growing “Digital Bayanihan” initiative to provide connectivity and AI literacy to students and MSMEs nationwide.
This project is also a combination of infrastructure building and AI literacy. To me, that’s about time. What’s the use of the internet if you don’t know how to use it, right? It’s like giving a person a car but not teaching them how to drive.
In the DICT’s digital transformation framework, it has always been a goal of the department to provide access to a national broadband network as well as improve digital literacy among all segments of the population.
The distinction this time, however, is the emphasis on AI. It’s not just a vague Silicon Valley concept. It’s a technology that can be used for productive purposes – such as coding education for students or process improvements for micro, small, and medium enterprises.
That emphasis, at least, is in line with recent development studies. Digital technologies – particularly their use among MSMEs – can boost inclusive development in developing countries, according to a World Bank report.
What I remember most, however, is the term “bayanihan.” It’s a profoundly Filipino concept – a group of people banding together to carry a house, so to speak – and now it’s referring to our transition into the digital age.
I can almost detect the hopeful undertone of it: “If we all help out, then perhaps we’ll catch up.” Maybe it’s naive. But that’s not the worst thing to have when you’re willing to back it up with investments and legislation.
The AI education is also a direct response to concerns about the future. Labor experts have warned that countries will face increased inequality if their workers do not acquire new skills to complement the automation and AI that is likely to overtake many industries across the world.
The International Labour Organization said that AI would radically change the world of work and that early investments in human capital are crucial, especially in countries that are starting to make this transition.
The Philippines is one of the most digitally engaged countries in the world, but there’s a long distance between intensive online participation and effective digital utilization. The question, then, is whether efforts like Digital Bayanihan will be able to bridge that distance. Can a rural province student truly participate in the global AI economy? That’s the wager.
Naturally, cynics can argue, “That’s the problem with government initiatives – they always sound good on paper.” True. Whether this initiative proves to be a success will depend on whether it can be sustained, if it receives ongoing funding, and if the curriculum is regularly revised.
Even so, there’s a certain understated impact in the timing. Countries globally are scrambling to include AI in national plans, even as they weigh ethics with economic viability. For the Philippines to prioritize AI education for the masses, rather than merely focusing on high-end innovation centers, speaks to a different sort of aspiration – a modest one that is nonetheless future-proof.
Should the implementation be effective, the outcome will have far-reaching implications – for MSMEs to be more competitive, for workers to have the necessary skills for industries empowered by AI, and for students to view technology as a means to create, not simply consume. That is no modest objective. It is audacious. A little punk rock. And certainly optimistic.
And maybe that’s the point. Digital transformation doesn’t always come with a bang. Sometimes it starts with a steady signal, an inquisitive student and a community that decides it doesn’t want to be left on the sidelines of the AI revolution.
