Filipino jobs among most exposed to GenAI risks in ASEAN

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is among the ASEAN economies most exposed to generative artificial intelligence, with the technology expected to reshape jobs more than wipe them out, according to an analysis by International Labor Organization employment specialists.

In a report late April, ILO advisors Phu Huynh and Felix Weidenkaff said 21% to 28% of jobs in selected ASEAN countries with comparable data are exposed to GenAI. The Philippines sits “at the upper end” of that range because of its service-oriented economy and exposure to information technology and business process management.

A small share of jobs in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand — about 3% to 4% — face a higher risk of displacement.

“The vast majority face partial task automation, meaning work will evolve rather than disappear,” the ILO specialists said.

Clerical roles are the most exposed. In the Philippines, 93.7% of clerical jobs are affected, with 37.8% falling into the highest-risk category. These include routine office tasks such as data entry and record-keeping.

Finance, women workers most exposed

Exposure is also high in services, particularly finance and insurance, where nearly nine in 10 jobs are affected. And the impact is uneven across workers.

Women face higher exposure because they are more concentrated in clerical and administrative roles. Workers with higher education levels are also more exposed, as many professional tasks involving documentation, analysis and reporting can be automated or augmented.

But the authors offer some hope. “High exposure does not necessarily mean job loss and could instead lead to productivity gains and better jobs,” they said.

Skills push needed

The finding comes as the Philippines chairs ASEAN in 2026, with artificial intelligence positioned as a central theme of regional cooperation.

The ILO said ASEAN governments need to manage the AI shift through human-centered policies, including safeguards against discrimination, skills training, career development support and better labor market data.

“As GenAI across ASEAN will likely transform occupational roles and tasks, critical measures including upskilling and reskilling initiatives, employment facilitation services, career development support, and the provision of timely, robust labour market intelligence are needed,” the authors said.

The ILO also called for tripartite cooperation among governments, employers and workers to shape how AI transforms workplaces.

For the Philippines, the shift presents a dual challenge: the same service sectors that drive growth are also the most exposed to change.