DOLE says AI not a threat but strategic opportunity

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Thursday that it is optimistic about artificial intelligence (AI), noting that it is not a threat but an opportunity to be treated responsibly.

“We in the Department of Labor and Employment view AI not as a threat to be feared but as a strategic opportunity to be harnessed responsibly,” said DOLE Monitoring and Evaluation Division chief Hannah Gale Perea during the HR&WorkTech Summit 2026 in Quezon City.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), literacy on AI and big data is the number one fastest-growing skill by 2030.

“AI enables our domestic industries to transition towards higher-value services, moving up the global value chain into areas such as AI system oversight, complex analytics, and high-tier technical support,” Perea said.

But in the same report by the WEF, analytical thinking is the top skill needed in the workplace in 2025.

For its part, DOLE said that management of AI exposure in the workplace dictates whether it will result in displacement or employment transformation.

“By augmenting human capability rather than simply replacing it, AI can increase overall productivity, elevate wage potential, and improve working conditions,” said Perea.

The Philippine digital economy reached a Gross Value Added (GVA) of P2.74 trillion in 2025, accounting for 9.8% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in April.

In 2025, the digital economy employed 10.39 million people, accounting for 21.2% of the country’s total workforce. —NB, GMA News