Lenovo AI Express Accelerates Enterprise AI Deployment with NVIDIA

Lenovo has announced Lenovo AI Express, a new solution designed to help businesses accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) deployment, simplify infrastructure procurement, and achieve faster returns on their AI investments. Developed in collaboration with NVIDIA, the offering provides validated configurations, accelerated computing capabilities, and professional services to help organizations move from AI experimentation to production.

According to Lenovo’s 2026 CIO Playbook, organizations transitioning toward large-scale AI implementation expect an average return of $2.79 for every $1 invested, while 93% of enterprise respondents anticipate positive returns. However, deployment delays, integration challenges, and infrastructure readiness continue to prevent businesses from realizing AI’s full potential.

Lenovo AI Express addresses these challenges through ready-to-deploy infrastructure and flexible configurations that allow businesses to start with their current requirements and expand as workloads, users, AI models, and inference demands increase. Eligible configurations can achieve order-to-ship timelines starting at 15 business days.

Three Configurations for Different AI Needs

Lenovo AI Express offers three validated configurations designed for different levels of AI demand.

The Small configuration, available from 15 business days, supports focused AI inference for dozens of users and models ranging from 7 billion to 70 billion parameters. It uses the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650a V4, powered by two NVIDIA RTX 6000 PRO Blackwell Server Edition GPUs.

The Medium configuration, available in 20 business days, supports higher-throughput inference and agentic AI applications for hundreds of users. Built on the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR675 V3, it features eight NVIDIA RTX 6000 PRO Blackwell Server Edition GPUs and supports models ranging from 70 billion to 400 billion parameters.

The Large configuration, available in 25 business days, targets enterprise-scale deployments serving thousands of users. It uses the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR680a V4 with NVIDIA HGX B300 technology, supporting demanding generative AI workloads and models with up to one trillion parameters.

Customers can also choose validated AMD and Intel CPU technologies and extend their deployments with enterprise AI software, including Red Hat AI Factory with NVIDIA and NVIDIA AI Enterprise. Veeam Kasten is available to strengthen data protection and resilience.

Simplifying AI Operations and Scaling

Beyond infrastructure, Lenovo AI Express includes services covering use-case identification, return-on-investment validation, proof-of-concept development, and GPU performance optimization. Premier Support Plus for Servers adds proactive and predictive support to help maintain operational continuity.

Through its collaboration with NVIDIA and the Lenovo 360 partner framework, Lenovo aims to make enterprise AI infrastructure more accessible and deployment more predictable.

As businesses increasingly adopt generative AI and autonomous AI agents, Lenovo AI Express offers a structured pathway toward production-ready AI, helping organizations scale capabilities while managing deployment complexity, operational costs, and infrastructure investment.

Baguio Deploys AI to Improve Ease-Of-Doing-Business in Pine City

Baguio City is testing how AI can help businesses determine whether their proposed ventures comply with local zoning rules, as the city refines a digital tool developed with support from PLDT and Smart’s AI-in-a-Box program.

AI-in-a-Box is the PLDT Group’s initiative to make artificial intelligence more accessible to communities, combining digital tools, connectivity, and training to help organizations and local governments turn emerging technologies into practical solutions.

Earlier this year, PLDT and Smart, with support from PLDT Smart Foundation, Lenovo Philippines, and Microsoft, provided the Baguio City government with an AI access kit, which includes a laptop, a smartphone, a connectivity device, and premium access to AI tools.

“Technology for good means using innovation to address real needs in our communities,” said Stephanie V. Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Engagement at PLDT and Smart. “Through AI-in-a-Box, PLDT and Smart are working with local government units not only to provide access to AI, but also to build their capacity to develop practical solutions. We hope these efforts can help local government units (LGUs) make public services more responsive and meaningful for the people they serve.”

Earlier this year, select LGU staff from Baguio City underwent a three-month AI mentorship and acceleration program under PLDT and Smart’s AI-in-a-Box to enable them to create an AI-powered solution that can help improve its public service delivery.

The program has led to ‘BIZ Checker’, an online tool that helps applicants determine whether a proposed establishment is allowed in a particular location based on the city’s zoning classifications and requirements.

“Using the platform, the client or the applicant can see if their business is appropriate for that site,” said Roland Bautista, Senior Project Evaluation Officer of the Baguio City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office.

The tool is designed to address a common pain point in the permitting process: applicants sometimes discover only after approaching the city that their documents are incomplete or that their proposed establishment is not permitted in their chosen location.

BIZ Checker also includes ‘Rolly Bot’, a chatbot that draws on government documents and data to provide information to users. During the pilot, Bautista said, even some people who were less familiar with technology were able to use the system through their phones.

“Some of them are non-techie, but when it comes to gadgets, even a few 60-year-olds are learning to use their phones to access the solution,” he said.

Testing the system also helped the city identify areas that still need to be refined. Bryan Sombilon, Senior Project Technical Specialist of the Baguio City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office, said the team encountered additional permits and requirements that needed to be accounted for.

“We have to account for businesses that will be operating on government-owned properties. These are situations we encountered during the pilot, and now we know they also need to be reflected in the system,” he said.

The city is also reviewing its zoning rules, which means the system will need to keep pace with changes in regulations.

“The city is updating some ordinances that date back to the 1990s to make them more relevant to current needs,” Bautista said. “When the new zoning ordinance is finished, we will put it into the system and update it.”

The team regularly reviews the system and makes corresponding changes when regulations or requirements evolve.

For Sombilon, keeping the technology aligned with actual government processes is just as important as developing the tool itself. The team is looking at how it can be incorporated into the city’s operations and sustained over time.

“We need to institutionalize the system and integrate it into the government process. We need to plan for its sustainability, budgeting, and how it will be maintained as well,” he said.

The AI mentorship also influenced how the team approached the solution, pushing them to look beyond the technology and better understand the people who would use it.

“We were guided in terms of knowing more about our target audience, like their personas,” Sombilon said. “It’s really important when we craft the solution to know the personas of the target audience that we want to cater to.”

As the team prepares to present BIZ Checker at the PLDT and Smart’s AI in Action Summit in November, it continues to refine the system based on what it has learned from the pilot. The team hopes the technology can eventually make the permitting process more seamless, while keeping human support available when applicants need further explanation.

“Rolly Bot is there, but of course, we are always around to offer our services to Baguio City residents, especially those who prefer face-to-face interaction,” Bautista said.

For Sombilon, the project demonstrates how AI can be applied to a specific government service by using existing data and documents to make information more accessible to constituents.

“AI can really help make government processes easier,” he said. “We provide the system with data and documents from the government, allowing it to learn from the information we have and provide more accurate answers to constituents.”

Baguio City’s experience shows how local governments can explore AI as a practical tool for addressing specific service challenges. Through AI-in-a-Box, PLDT and Smart continue to support LGUs in developing solutions that respond to local needs, advance digital inclusion, and promote technology for good.

The country’s summer capital is one of four LGUs taking part in a mentorship program under the AI-in-a-Box initiative. Cebu City, Cabanatuan City, and the province of Lanao del Sur are also developing their own AI-powered tools to improve public service delivery.

The initiative also supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, which calls for fostering innovation and building resilient infrastructure to support inclusive and sustainable development.

Different Goals, Different Habits, One Place to Save: Find Your Savings Style

Saving means different things to different people—from managing daily expenses to building an emergency fund or planning for the future. But with competing priorities, knowing where to put your money first can be challenging. TransUnion’s most recent Consumer Pulse Study found that 49% of Filipino consumers increased their emergency savings, while Sun Life’s 2026 Financial Resilience Index found that managing daily expenses is the top financial priority for more than half of Filipinos.

With priorities ranging from daily needs to future goals, saving is ultimately about finding habits that fit your life and give your money purpose.

To help Filipinos navigate their personal finance journeys, Jax Reyes, a well-known finance content creator recognized for making personal finance and money management more accessible online, shares practical advice on everything from saving and budgeting to making the most of your money.

“Not making a move is still a move. Not making a decision is still a decision. Every month, nakaupo yung pera mo sa same account. That is still a decision. But do you know that the quietness in that decision is costing you something?” said Jax.

Through a series of modules, Jax helps you identify what type of saver you are, find an approach that works for you, and discover how you can make your savings work toward your goals. Have a look and see which type of saver you are:

“May Naitabi” — The Accidental Saver

For the “Ay, may natira pala” saver, putting money aside isn’t always part of a carefully planned routine. Savings happen almost by accident—whatever remains after bills, essentials, and a little spending. The catch is that when this extra money stays in the same account as everyday funds, it can easily get spent without getting noticed.

A simple way to make this habit more intentional is to give those small, irregular amounts a dedicated place to stay. With a high-yield savings account in GSave, even your may naitabi money can earn up to 3.5%, instead of simply sitting in your account. After all, saving doesn’t always have to start big—it can start with whatever you have left, as long as you make the effort to keep it saved.

“May Huhugutin” — The Rainy-Day Saver

For the “may huhugutin” saver, having a financial safety net brings peace of mind. You like knowing there’s money set aside for the unexpected, but when your emergency fund sits in the same account as your everyday money, it can be tempting to treat it as part of your daily spend. One way to make your emergency fund work better is to give it a dedicated place, separate from the money you use day to day.

With a dedicated GSave account, your emergency savings can be kept out of sight from your everyday balance, while still remaining accessible when a genuine need comes up. Because when it comes to rainy-day funds, the goal is may huhugutin when you really need it—not when you’re short on your weekend splurge.

“May Pinaglalaanan” — The Goal-Setter

For the “may pinaglalaanan” saver, every peso has a purpose. You may be saving for a long-awaited trip, a big purchase, or another goal that you’re hoping to check off soon. The challenge comes when goal money and everyday spending share the same account—you have to constantly keep track of what’s “untouchable” and what’s actually available to spend.

Giving each goal its own dedicated place can make saving feel more tangible and help you stay accountable. With GSave, you can set aside money for a specific goal and easily see your progress along the way, without having to do the mental math every time you check your balance. After all, it’s easier to reach your goals when you see how far you’ve come.

“May Pinaghahandaan” — The Future Thinker

For the “may pinaghahandaan” saver, saving is all about thinking ahead. You’re not just preparing for your next purchase or vacation—you’re setting money aside for bigger milestones, whether that’s a future home, your child’s education, retirement, or another long-term dream. But when those savings simply sit in a regular account for years, they may not be doing much beyond waiting for the day you need them.

Giving long-term savings a dedicated place can help you stay focused on the future while allowing your money to potentially grow over time. With GSave, you can set aside money for tomorrow in a dedicated account, while options like UNO Time Deposit offer rates of up to 5.5% p.a. for funds you’re ready to set aside for longer. This way, you can keep money for today separate from what you’re preparing for tomorrow—and let your savings start working toward that future today.

“Hindi lang talaga siya about dapat magaling ka sa pera. It’s really about choosing a partner kung saan mo dapat ilagay. Saan siya mas magwo-work hard for you? Sometimes, the convenience, the complacency, is costing you. This is [an option] where you can put your money where it’s working for you—that’s what’s important. This is the real upgrade. Because siyempre, we all want it to be easy, but pinaka-importante is that I want it to be beneficial for you as well,” noted Jax.

Want to find the saving style that works best for you? Explore Jax’s modules on saving for practical tips on building better saving habits.

This October, Your Savings Could Come With More Reasons to Grow

Whatever your savings style, putting your money aside can be more rewarding when you have more reasons to stay on track. This October, GSave gives savers another reason to make their money moves count with GCash Shake It Up!

You don’t have to wait until payday to get started—simply open the GCash app each day and tap on an eligible product, such as GSave or GFunds, to unlock one free daily shake. Each shake automatically gives you one raffle entry for a chance to win Php 10,000 in cash, while also giving you the chance to score instant shopping vouchers worth Php 1, Php 50, or Php 200.

Save to Win Bigger

Ready to level up your wealth? Save or invest at least PHP 1,000 in eligible Wealth Management products like GSave or GFunds to earn one raffle entry per ₱1,000 deposited (for GSave, funds must remain in the account for at least 7 days).

The promo is open to both new and existing users, giving everyone a chance to win exciting prizes throughout the campaign. Up for grabs are: 

• October 1-15: One Yamaha Aerox scooter
• October 16-31: The campaign's grand prize of PHP 500,000 in cash

There’s no one right way to save—the best approach is the one that fits your habits, goals, and priorities. Whether you’re may naitabi, may huhugutin, may pinaglalaanan, or may pinaghahandaan, giving your savings a dedicated place can help you stay intentional about where your money goes. Because smart money habits don’t have to feel restrictive—they can help your money grow while giving you something to look forward to along the way.

To open an account on GSave, you must be a Filipino Citizen, at least 18 years old, and a fully verified GCash user. Ready to grow your money? You may access GSave through the GCash dashboard or find it under “Grow.” No GCash yet? Download the GCash App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery. Kaya mo, i-GCash mo!

Globe Business Highlights Next Wave of Growth with Digital

As organizations accelerate investments in cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital technologies, many discover that adopting technology is only the beginning. As businesses expand across physical and digital channels, fragmented systems and disconnected technologies can increase complexity, slow expansion, and affect the customer experience. Increasingly, organizations realize sustainable growth depends not on adding more technology, but on orchestrating technologies to work together and create greater business value.

Globe Business convened nationwide business leaders from retail, financial services, healthcare, and energy utilities at the recently held G Summit 2026 to discuss how unified digital foundations enable organizations to scale faster, strengthen customer trust, and respond more effectively to changing business demands.

Building digital-ready foundations requires organizations to look beyond individual technology investments. It requires the discipline to orchestrate them into a connected ecosystem where every capability works toward a common business goal. Dennis Wong, Globe Business Senior Advisor, said organizations that adopt this mindset are better positioned to turn technology investments into real business outcomes instead of isolated projects.

"First, you need to have very reliable connectivity for access,” Wong said. “Number two, you need to have a scalable cloud platform. Number three, once you have all this, you need to have a very secure infrastructure. Next, it's all about the collaborative tool. You need to have the right API to link everything together. If the network folks, the cloud folks, and the security folks don't talk to each other, your transformation is not going to happen."

Across retail, financial services, and healthcare, sector leaders reiterated that true enterprise resilience stems from embedding technology directly into business strategy. In the retail sector, Walter Yu of AC Retail (ACx) and Anko stressed that cybersecurity must be designed into transformation efforts from Day 1 rather than added as an afterthought during system integration. Dustin Lacap of McDonald’s Philippines echoed this mindset, noting that future-ready cloud infrastructure is a business growth decision, not simply an IT initiative. As organizations expand, integrating cloud capabilities into their broader technology ecosystem helps simplify operations and support long-term growth.

In financial services, Suzelyn Urbano shared how GCash is using AI to drive innovation across the enterprise—reimagining how teams work, accelerating ideas into impact, and unlocking new possibilities for the business, while ensuring AI adoption remains secure, responsible, and guided by human judgment. Healthcare organizations are undergoing the same transformation. Atty. Gideon Peña noted that customers no longer compare an HMO only with another HMO, but with the best experiences across industries. For iCare, this means using technology to simplify claims processing, reduce friction, and deliver faster, more responsive omnichannel experiences.

What powers physical and digital infrastructure is equally important as regional economies expand. As energy providers modernize to support expanding urban centers, Globe Business works alongside utility leaders to deliver the connectivity, cloud intelligence, and security needed to maintain grid resilience.

Mark Anthony Kindica of Visayan Electric Company highlighted how bridging disparate platforms with modern network tools transforms energy distribution for over half a million Cebuanos. He explained that true enterprise value emerges when isolated digital systems work together, enabling utilities to shift from reactive troubleshooting to predictive maintenance. Similarly, Arvin Padayhag of Davao Light and Power Company Inc. and Aboitiz Power Distribution Utilities emphasized that physical assets and enterprise IT must evolve together. He observed that orchestrating technology, data, and teams builds a more resilient infrastructure, adding that robust cybersecurity is an indispensable component of power reliability.

For industry leaders, the real challenge was never choosing the right technologies. It was making them work together seamlessly to deliver meaningful business outcomes. With Globe Business as an end-to-end partner integrating connectivity, cloud, and security capabilities, organizations across industries can focus on what matters most.

"You should be focusing on the business. You should be focusing on your customer,” Wong said. “That's where Globe Business wants to be. We want to be your trusted partner. We want you to be able to focus on the right thing, and we will be able to support you, design, and orchestrate all these fundamental things with you.”

Non-Traditional and Working Learners Risk Being Left Behind in AI Learning Shift, Instructure Study Finds

MANILA, Philippines — Access to artificial intelligence alone does not guarantee effective learning, leaving working, part-time, and remote students at the highest risk of being left behind as Philippine education shifts from basic tech adoption to institutional enablement.

According to a new study by Instructure, the maker of Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), in collaboration with local research firm The Fourth Wall, titled The Great Divide of AI in Lifelong Learning, the country’s next AI divide is not between those who use AI and those who do not but between learners with institutional support and those left to navigate the technology independently.

The research surveyed 207 education practitioners across higher education and technical-vocational institutions in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao. The findings were unveiled at CanvasCon Philippines 2026 at Conrad Manila, where over 500 educators gathered to discuss operationalizing AI readiness.

The Emerging Support Divide for Non-Traditional Learners

On a 5-point scale, educators rated their confidence that remote, part-time, and working learners will be equally supported as AI reshapes learning at just 2.66—one of the lowest readiness scores in the study.

While AI can make education more flexible, the students who depend most on that flexibility may lack adequate institutional support. Educators named work and livelihood responsibilities (67%) and cost constraints (65%) as the primary barriers to lifelong learning, warning that AI could either ease or compound these frictions depending on whether institutional support becomes as flexible as the learning itself.

“AI adoption is already underway, but institutionalization has yet to catch up. Encouragement isn't the same as structure, clarity, and guidance. If AI isn't connected to a coherent learning strategy, both learners and educators will be left floundering, creating a clear divide between supported and unsupported learners,” said Darren Read, Managing Director, APAC at Instructure.

Compounding this challenge, educators currently lack visibility into whether AI’s benefits are reaching students equitably, rating their institution’s tracking of resource distribution at a low 2.74 out of 5.

"Equity is not only an access problem; it is also a measurement problem. Institutions cannot meaningfully address an AI divide if they cannot see who has access, who is participating, and who is actually benefiting,” said John Brylle L. Bae, Research Director at The Fourth Wall.

AI Implementation Gains Momentum Beyond Experimentation

The survey suggests that AI activity in Philippine higher education is moving beyond early exploration. Half (50%) of surveyed institutions currently offer AI literacy or digital-skills programs for students, while only 18% report still being in the exploration phase without a formal strategy. Additionally, institutions are deploying practical tools, including staff-facing AI systems to support teaching and course design (41%), AI tools integrated directly into course delivery (40%), and AI-powered tutoring assistants (38%).

Despite this momentum, institutional readiness lags behind tool deployment. Educators rated confidence in their institution having a clear AI strategy within lifelong-learning pathways at 3.08 out of 5, while confidence in faculty and staff training fell to 2.87 out of 5. Overall, 43% of respondents cited limited access to devices or paid tools as a primary barrier, while 38% highlighted a lack of formal training and guidance

Regional Bottlenecks and Policy Context

While overall readiness levels did not differ significantly across geographical regions, immediate resource constraints varied. Technology and digital infrastructure emerged as the primary bottleneck in Metro Manila (46%), whereas funding constraints were more prominent in Metro Cebu (45%) and Metro Davao (55%). Metro Cebu respondents also highlighted faculty training as a pressing concern (36%).

To bridge these gaps, the report outlines five core priorities for institutional enablement: expanding physical access to devices and tools; setting clear rules for ethical use; building faculty and learner capability; integrating AI into curricula and lifelong learning pathways; and establishing equity tracking metrics.

The urgency to build institutional readiness comes as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued national guidelines for responsible AI use in higher education. The guidelines require transparency in students’ use of AI and stronger human oversight in consequential areas such as grading, admissions, scholarships, student progression, and faculty evaluation. Against that backdrop, the study’s low readiness scores for faculty training (2.87 out of 5) and equity tracking (2.74 out of 5) suggest many institutions will need dedicated support to put those expectations into practice.

The survey findings reflect the perceptions of education practitioners and provide an indicative view of institutional priorities, practices, and readiness, rather than a nationally representative sample of all Philippine education institutions.