Try asking the industry “leaders” and transformation “experts” what AI will do to jobs.
You’ll probably get a long answer that sounds smart but doesn’t really answer the question. Industry influencers and transformation gurus love to talk about disruption, but when you ask them directly, they rarely give a clear answer.
But the truth is, we already know how to think about this.
The International Monetary Fund says 14% of jobs in the Philippines are at risk because of AI. That number gets attention. It creates fear. But it’s often misunderstood.
The IMF used two simple ideas: exposure and complementarity.
Exposure is about how much of your job AI can do. Complementarity is about whether AI helps you or replaces you. If AI helps you, your job becomes stronger. If AI can do your work alone, your job is at risk.
That’s the real framework.
Many jobs in sectors like outsourcing involve tasks that are repetitive and easy to automate. these are highly exposed. And many of them are not complementary. That means they can be replaced.
But here’s the part people forget.
AI does not take jobs. Companies do.
There has to be a decision to automate. Someone in management has to choose to replace a role or redesign it. That decision shapes everything. AI can be used to help workers, or it can be used to cut them out. Both paths are possible. Even HR is not safe. Some HR tasks can already be done by AI.
So instead of asking “Will AI take jobs?” we should ask better questions.
- How exposed is this role?
- And is AI helping or replacing?
These questions give clearer answers than any business influencer ever will.
The future is not as unclear as people say. We just need to look at the right signals.
Dominic “Doc” Ligot is one of the leading voices in AI in the Philippines. Doc has been extensively cited in local and global media outlets including The Economist, South China Morning Post, Washington Post, and Agence France Presse. His award-winning work has been recognized and published by prestigious organizations such as NASA, Data.org, Digital Public Goods Alliance, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.
If you need guidance or training in maximizing AI for your career or business, reach out to Doc via https://docligot.com.
