Philippine CEOs are among the world’s most confident business leaders in using artificial intelligence (AI) for major decisions, according to a new study by the IBM Institute for Business Value.
The study, based on a survey of 2,000 CEOs globally, showed that 80% of Philippine CEOs surveyed are comfortable making major strategic decisions using AI-generated insights, higher than the 64% global average.
The report found that there is a growing shift among Philippine companies toward AI-driven operations, where AI is no longer treated as a support tool but as part of how businesses are run.
“Philippine CEOs surveyed are among the most decisive in embracing AI and yet, only a fraction say they have a clear vision for how it will deliver competitive advantage,” said Leo Capinpin, country general manager and technology leader, IBM Philippines. “That gap provides a clear signal: AI cannot scale on ambition alone; it demands organizations to fundamentally rethink how they operate.”
The survey also found that 73% of Philippine executives believe AI can make tactical and operational decisions faster and better than humans, compared with the 57% global average.
Gary Cohn, vice chair, IBM, said companies that succeed in the AI era will operate “AI-first,” with faster decision-making and fewer barriers between departments.
The shift is also changing executive roles. The study found that 97% of Philippine CEOs believe business leaders must become technology experts within their own functions. Companies are also giving more influence to Chief AI Officers and HR leaders as businesses prepare workers for AI adoption. About 53% of Philippine executives expect Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) to play a bigger role in the coming years because of workforce transformation.
The report showed that AI investment pressure is intensifying. Around 93% of Philippine CEOs said market changes are happening faster than their companies can fully adapt processes and budgets.
At the same time, 73% admitted they are investing in some technologies out of fear of falling behind competitors, even without fully understanding the business value.
Governance and AI control are also becoming priorities. About 83% of Philippine executives said AI sovereignty, or maintaining control over AI systems and data, is now essential to business strategy. By 2030, CEOs surveyed expect AI to handle nearly half of operational decisions without human intervention, up from 25% today.
Despite the aggressive AI adoption, business leaders still see people as critical to success. Around 90% of Philippine CEOs said AI success depends more on employee adoption than on the technology itself. Between 2026 and 2028, Philippine companies expect 31% of employees to require reskilling for new roles, while 55% will need additional training to improve their current work.
“Real success will depend on how leaders empower their people, redesign roles, evolve processes, and embed AI responsibly across the enterprise,” said Juhi McClelland, managing director, IBM Consulting, Asia Pacific.
For Philippine businesses, the findings suggest AI adoption is moving beyond experimentation and becoming a core business strategy, especially as companies face pressure to move faster, automate operations, and stay competitive.