FIRST IN PH: GLOBE ADOPTS GSMA’S RESPONSIBLE AI MATURITY ROADMAP

Anton Bonifacio (4th from left), Globe’s Chief AI and Chief Information Security Officer, speaks at the GSMA’s Mobile 360 in Seoul, South Korea, Oct. 1, 2024.

Globe has joined a select group of leading telecommunications companies from around the world committed to the GSMA’s industry-first Responsible AI (RAI) Maturity Roadmap. This pioneering initiative reinforces Globe’s dedication to ethical and responsible AI development and deployment, ensuring that these powerful technologies are harnessed for the benefit of its customers, the environment and the society as a whole.

As part of its broader sustainability strategy, Globe views responsible AI as a critical component in driving sustainable digital transformation. By adopting the GSMA RAI Maturity Roadmap, Globe ensures that its AI will not only deliver business value but also contribute to sustainable development.

The GSMA, a global organization that unifies mobile operators around the world, developed the RAI Maturity Roadmap to address the growing importance of AI in the telecommunications industry. This marks the first time an entire sector has committed to a common approach to AI.

Globe is among 19 mobile network operators from around the world that have adopted  the roadmap to track, maintain and improve AI use.

The roadmap, based on insights from McKinsey and a group of leading operators, provides a structured framework for telecommunications companies to assess their current AI maturity level and identify areas for improvement. This allows them to align their AI strategies with responsible practices, ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI applications.

The roadmap addresses five core dimensions: a company’s vision, values, and strategic goals; operating model and AI governance; technical controls to ensure compliance with regulations; collaboration with third-party ecosystems; and corporate change management and communication.

Globe recognizes the transformative potential of AI across its operations, from strengthening climate resilience and optimizing network performance to enhancing customer service and preventing fraud. At the same time, Globe has bolstered its online safety measures by actively blocking non-photographic imagery (NPI) of child sexual abuse, including AI-generated content. By adhering to the GSMA RAI Maturity Roadmap, Globe is committed to ensuring that its AI-driven innovations are not only cutting-edge but also deployed ethically and responsibly, prioritizing the safety and well-being of its users.

Speaking at the GSMA’s Mobile 360 series held in Seoul, South Korea, Anton Bonifacio, Globe’s Chief AI Officer, emphasized the need for early action towards responsible AI use.

“We’ve seen in the internet age, it took the world longer to prioritize cybersecurity, data privacy, ethics, and governance. I think we do have a great opportunity in this new technology to do it right much earlier, whether that’s in terms of privacy or security, and just ensuring that the human is still at the center, especially with something this disruptive,” Bonifacio said.

He said the GSMA Roadmap is crucial given the dearth in frameworks and references on best practices when it comes to responsible AI use. Through the GSMA initiative, Globe can also  share its own learnings as it goes through AI adoption.

“Maintaining a balance between rapid innovation and ethical development is crucial. We can’t wait for perfect standards and policies before moving forward, but we also can’t move forward without them. The GSMA roadmap provides the necessary framework to achieve this balance, ensuring we can reach an ethical and responsible ground as we drive AI adoption in Globe,” said Bonifacio.

Globe is advancing AI adoption for both internal and external processes. Earlier this year, Globe named Bonifacio its Chief AI Officer, the first in the Philippines, and established a separate AI Group, demonstrating the company’s commitment to integrating AI in the business.

Currently, Globe is using AI to transform ways of working towards greater productivity and engagement among employees. Generative AI is also being used to “simplify the way we serve customers,” said Bonifacio.

“AI is immensely important to Globe. We do firmly believe it’s beyond the hype and it could be as transformational as the internet was. We see AI as a powerful tool that can help us create happier employees by simplifying tasks, improving work-life balance, and freeing up time for more meaningful work. This, in turn, enhances customer experiences and, ultimately, shareholder value. In Globe, this is what we call the Circle of Happiness. And AI is key to greasing those wheels to keep the circle going,” said Bonifacio.

Know more about the GSMA RAI Maturity Roadmap here. To learn more about Globe’s initiatives on AI, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/.