GLOBE Telecom, Inc. is betting on artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and drive growth as it aims to sharpen its edge in a highly competitive industry, its top executive said.
Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Carl Raymond R. Cruz said the telco giant is now using AI in all facets of the organization.
“We are in a very fast-paced industry — telecommunications — and we need to stay ahead or two, ahead of everyone else. And we do feel that this technology can keep us very, very competitive moving forward,” he told BusinessWorld Editor-in-Chief Cathy Rose A. Garcia as part of BusinessWorld One-on-One’s online interview series.
Mr. Cruz is optimistic that the company’s adoption of AI will serve as a catalyst for growth.
“The vision is to be the best in terms of where the customers are. Whatever point they engage with the network, we will use whatever technology is required for us to continuously elevate the customer experience that we provide on the network,” he said.
Emerging technologies like AI are reshaping strategies and how businesses operate, Mr. Cruz said, noting that the company is looking to unlock its potential from automation, hyper-personalization of its offerings and services, network enhancement and even in the prediction of threats.
“At Globe, we have been probably one of the leaders in deployment because instead of looking at AI as a project, we have actually deployed AI and we have given access to each and every of our employees. We are not limiting access to the technology, simply because we actually want the larger organization to be comfortable in using the new technology,” he said.
Globe established an AI Development and Enablement Group (AIDE) in June 2024 to lead its AI initiatives. It appointed cybersecurity expert Anton Bonifacio as its first chief AI officer.
The company is using the technology for its business operations particularly in its service offerings by deploying AI to study customer behavior and tailor-fit services to match their needs, as well as identifying areas where it should enhance network coverage.
“We are using the technology for network planning, determining the best possible locations where we will deploy new towers or new sites and allowing us to predict where potential points of failure will be. That is to ensure that the experience of our subscribers on the network remains to be very consistent and also best in class,” Mr. Cruz said.
“We will use whatever technology is required for us to continuously elevate the customer experience… Our heritage is all about being customer centric. And we will use a combination of both, of course, technology and human-centric customer service approach to make sure that that journey continues to move forward,” he added.
Globe has also democratized AI use across its workforce, encouraging experimentation and innovation.
Mr. Cruz emphasized that governance and safeguards around the use of technology and cybersecurity are priorities for Globe.
However, he noted there should be human-centric approach when it comes to using AI.
Upskilling is also a very important piece of the puzzle in advancing and ensuring the ethical use of AI, Mr. Cruz said.
“A lot of the tasks, especially the repetitive ones will actually benefit from technology and in that way, we are freeing up valuable time for our employees to do other value-adding roles or value-adding tasks and processes,” he said.
Asked if he has advice for other Philippine companies that are embarking on their AI journey, Mr. Cruz said they should start now.
“If you stand still in today’s day and age, you’re actually moving backwards. There’s really a high chance that organizations that do not leverage this technology, the probability of getting left behind is very, very high,” he said.
PRIORITIESMeanwhile, Mr. Cruz, who took the helm of Globe in April this year, said his number one priority in his first year is to continue to elevate the customer experience.
“Number two, we will diversify. The intent is to diversify our revenue streams, again leveraging the potential of the Philippines to be the fastest-growing digital economy. We have a young population who are already digital savvy and who want to be online most of the time,” he said.
Mr. Cruz said the company will also continue to play a leading role in driving growth in the Philippines’ digital economy.
“One of the key objectives is for us… is to play a leading role in the digital journey of the Philippines — every Filipino, every Filipino home, Filipino businesses, and the country,” he said.
“We cannot stay stagnant just being a core connectivity provider. We have to make sure that we get into the digital space… Telecoms is the backbone of any digital economy. It really enables development because once you have core connectivity, education is possible, employment is possible, inclusion is definitely possible.” — Ashley Erika O. Jose
Catch BusinessWorld One-on-One online interview series “Reconfiguring Business Amid Megatrends” from Sept. 22-25. The interview with Globe President and CEO Carl Raymond R. Cruz will be streamed at 11 a.m., Sept. 22 (Monday) on BusinessWorld’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
