The Philippines' young and English-speaking workforce remains the country's main asset, especially at a time when the government is figuring out the role of new technologies and generative artificial intelligence (AI).

President Marcos made the statement during his fireside interview at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday, March 19 at the Malacañan Palace, where he was asked how he viewed AI and the new technologies.

While AI can have some drawbacks, Marcos said “we must be part of that” as he highlighted the importance of the Filipino work force, amid the diminishing birth rates in some of Southeast Asian countries.

“We have a young workforce, they are well-trained, they (workers) are accustomed to working with foreign entities. They– and we–English speaking is not a small aspect to that, and so it is a workforce that I think considering especially that many of the countries surrounding us are of the graying workforce,” he said.

The President also said AI is "difficult to categorize it simply as a challenge or threat.

"[B]ecause any sharp blade cuts both ways. And, I think I’m seeing this now with AI where we’re still trying to figure out,” Marcos said.

He, however, recognized the necessity for AI, adding that it would further become a powerful tool than it is now.

“We know how powerful it is, and we know how powerful it is going to be even more so than it is now. We can see the necessity for AI because there are many things that we’re doing is becoming more complicated. And, we have to act very swiftly to be able to adjust to whatever occurrences there are,” he said.