AI and the Future of Work: Implications for Skills, Jobs, and Public Sector Readiness

How did artificial intelligence reshape work, skills, and governance in the Philippines—and who stood to gain or lose? The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), together with the Department of Labor and Employment–Institute for Labor Studies (DOLE-ILS) and the Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P), held a webinar on April 30, 2026, examining the transformative impacts of AI on labor markets, skills development, and public-sector readiness. The discussion opened with global insights from Professor Alexis Antoniades, who explored how AI had been transforming labor markets using large-scale job vacancy data and investment trends. The session then shifted to the Philippine context, featuring studies that assessed local government readiness for AI adoption and analyzed how AI had reshaped jobs, skills, and work experiences across sectors. Findings highlighted both opportunities and risks: while AI had enhanced productivity and created demand for new occupations, it had also introduced challenges such as job displacement, skills mismatches, and gaps in digital infrastructure and technical capacity. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders to reflect on how the Philippines could harness AI’s potential while managing its risks to ensure inclusive and future-ready development.