Executives from Coursera and iPeople Inc. are urging students to explore the potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), a type of AI that generates content based on user prompts. They emphasized its significant impact across various industries.

“In the Philippines, GenAI could potentially drive USD79 billion of productivity gain by 2030 if we start training and upskilling now,” said Karine Allouche, Coursera’s Global Head of Enterprise, during a small group discussion in Makati on Wednesday.

Globally, the areas mostly impacted by AI, she said, are sales, marketing, research and development, software engineering, as well as customer operations.

Allouche said that while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sees that 36 percent of jobs in the Philippines could either be displaced or eased by AI, people at Coursera believe that there is more opportunity than disruption in AI.

She also cited that based on a study, GenAI could add USD50 billion to Philippine businesses by 2030.

At Coursera, there is one enrollment in GenAI in every 20 minutes, Allouche said.

In the same discussion, iPeople Inc. president Alfredo Ayala acknowledged that AI is both a threat and an opportunity.

iPeople Inc. is the Yuchengco-Ayala education partnership, whose schools include Mapua University, Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna, Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao, Mapua Malayan Digital College, National Teachers College and University of Nueva Caceres.

“GenAI is reshaping every career path and human endeavor,” Ayala said. He highlighted AI-driven tools in their schools, such as personal AI career counselors and AI coaches, to guide students in selecting degrees and career pathways.

All iPeople schools now offer AI-enhanced learning experiences, with Coursera serving as a key partner in these initiatives since 2019. (PNA)