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The current state of affairs in data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) has made digital transformation across different industries more important than ever before. Data analytics and the use of AI tools have become essential elements of many workflows across various sectors globally, underscoring the necessity of widespread digital transformation in our Philippine economy.
I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the discussion and exchange of ideas at the recent Management Association of the Philippines x KPMG Technology Summit last June 17, 2025. The event brought together the most intuitive and forward-thinking minds in the realms of business, government and technology to tackle an important question: How do leaders navigate through fundamental changes that organizations need to go through to remain competitive and relevant in an ever-changing technological and economic landscape?
Professionals and leaders from various industries gathered to explore how emerging technologies are progressively reshaping business, governance and the future of work. The summit offered valuable insights into how organizations in the Philippines can harness artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data analytics to stay competitive. With its well thought-out talks and panels, the event became a springboard for innovative strategies and effective solutions made to respond directly to an increasingly tech-driven economy. In this article, I want to articulate a couple of key insights I heard from KPMG leaders who came from Singapore and Australia that we can use here in the Philippines moving forward.
Like any strategy, purpose should be an integral part of any AI Strategy.
Paul Kent, a corporate transformation partner from KPMG in Singapore, shared some truths and observations about the reality of AI. He noted that we must strategically invest in the right technologies to ensure that AI initiatives are directly aligned with organizational objectives, with a focus on maximizing the return on investment (ROI). He also highlighted how 87 percent of CEO’s agreed that the benefits of AI far outweigh its risks[JA1] , creating favorable qualitative and quantitative results in the areas of growth, productivity, and innovation. This tells us that while the adoption of AI is paramount to the progress of various sectors of the Philippine economy, we must identify specific use cases for the application of AI to maximize efficacy and achieve better, faster results.
While AI technology offers many advantages to organizations and individuals, it has certain drawbacks when it is used for unscrupulous activities and cyberattacks by threat actors who aim to interfere with operations and steal valuable information. Paul Black, a Cyber Security partner from KPMG Australia, talked about the many ways that threat actors utilize AI to conduct high-speed cyberattacks and other activities such as AI-enhanced phishing and password cracking.
He discussed the potential that AI has in formulating attacks tailored toward specific targets and domains, faster than any human-piloted attack ever could. This puts more pressure on organizations to re-evaluate the security of their data. He made it a point that AI-enabled countermeasures are the most logical response to AI-enabled attacks.
With every benefit, there is an equivalent risk involved. Organizations in the Philippines leveraging AI must acknowledge the reality of risks such as these. We know for a fact that even the most sophisticated systems around the globe can still be vulnerable to well-engineered cyberattacks, and we must be prepared to safeguard our assets accordingly.
In today’s environment, it is no longer the big beating the small but rather the fast beating the slow.
Set against a backdrop of rapid digital acceleration and rising expectations for resilience and innovation, business leaders in the Philippines must continue to adapt to change and leverage applicable data and technology to maintain relevance, counter threats and ensure exponential growth for the years to come.
We must use the technology we have at our disposal to future-proof our organizations and assert our positions in our respective sectors. From AI, data analytics, cybersecurity to sustainability and data-led decision-making, the conversations at the summit highlighted a growing urgency to adopt and apply new technologies with purpose, trust and a clear vision for inclusive progress. Co-presenting the first MAP x KPMG Technology Summit reaffirms our commitment to helping organizations in the Philippines create a future that is not only digital, but also human-centric.
Doris Aura Pastoriza is a technology consulting principal at R.G. Manabat & Co. (KPMG in the Philippines), a Philippine partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. For more information, you may reach out through [email protected], social media or visit www.home.kpmg/ph.
This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice to a specific issue or entity. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent KPMG International or R.G. Manabat & Co.
