Lenovo Unveils Agentic AI and xIQ Platforms to Accelerate Enterprise AI Adoption

Lenovo has expanded its enterprise artificial intelligence portfolio with the launch of Lenovo Agentic AI and three new Lenovo xIQ platforms, strengthening its Hybrid AI Advantage™ strategy. These innovations are designed to help organizations deploy, scale, and manage AI solutions faster while maintaining governance, efficiency, and measurable business outcomes.

As enterprises move beyond experimentation and into production AI, many struggle with operational complexity, risk management, and unclear ROI. Lenovo Agentic AI addresses these challenges by providing governance frameworks, expert advisory services, and end-to-end lifecycle support. This enables businesses to deploy production-ready AI agents quickly and transition from proof-of-concept to full implementation in as little as three months.

A key component of this offering is the integration of Lenovo AI Services and the Lenovo AI Library. Together, they deliver validated AI use cases, structured deployment pathways, and industry-focused guidance. This approach reduces uncertainty and helps enterprises adopt AI solutions that align with real business needs rather than experimental initiatives with limited scalability.

Alongside Agentic AI, Lenovo introduced three purpose-built xIQ platforms that bring automation, intelligence, and governance to critical IT and business operations.

The Lenovo xIQ Agent Platform enables organizations to create and deploy AI agents using a no-code environment. Built-in governance features help reduce operational and compliance risks while accelerating innovation.

The xIQ Digital Workplace Platform focuses on improving employee experience and IT performance. With proactive issue detection and automated remediation, IT teams can resolve problems faster, reduce downtime, and deliver more responsive support services.

Meanwhile, the xIQ Hybrid Cloud Platform combines AIOps, FinOps, and DevOps capabilities to give enterprises greater visibility and control across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. This integration helps optimize cloud costs, improve performance, and streamline operations at scale.

Lenovo emphasizes that the future of enterprise AI lies in agentic AI—systems that act autonomously, adapt dynamically, and deliver tangible results. By combining Hybrid AI Advantage™, Lenovo Agentic AI, and the xIQ suite, Lenovo provides a comprehensive AI ecosystem that supports organizations from strategy and deployment to long-term optimization.

With these advancements, Lenovo positions itself as a key enabler for enterprises seeking to turn AI ambition into operational reality.

Lenovo CIO Playbook: Asia Pacific Enterprises Shift from AI Experiments to Execution in 2026

According to the Lenovo CIO Playbook, enterprises across the Asia Pacific region are entering a new phase of artificial intelligence adoption—one that prioritizes execution over experimentation. Recent data shows that 96% of organizations in the Asia Pacific plan to increase their AI investments in 2026, with spending expected to rise by an average of 15%. This momentum is mirrored across ASEAN+ markets, where enterprises are aligning AI initiatives with clear business outcomes rather than isolated pilots.

For CIOs in the region, AI is no longer just a technology upgrade—it is a strategic growth driver. Revenue growth, improved profitability, and enhanced business and customer experiences have emerged as the top AI-driven priorities. This shift reflects a broader move toward outcomes-led AI adoption, where success is measured by tangible returns. Notably, 88% of organizations now expect positive ROI from their AI investments, with an anticipated average return of 2.8 times their initial spend.

AI adoption is also expanding beyond traditional IT departments. Around 66% of enterprises are already piloting or systematically using AI, and many report that non-IT teams are actively funding AI initiatives. Functions such as marketing, operations, finance, and customer service are increasingly driving demand, accelerating enterprise-wide AI integration.

One of the most significant emerging trends is Agentic AI—systems capable of autonomous decision-making and task execution. Interest in Agentic AI is expected to double over the next 12 months as organizations explore its potential to improve efficiency and responsiveness. However, despite growing enthusiasm, only a small percentage of enterprises feel ready to scale Agentic AI due to persistent challenges around governance, security, data quality, and system integration.

From an infrastructure perspective, hybrid AI has become the default enterprise architecture. Organizations are combining on-premises, cloud, and edge environments to balance performance, regulatory compliance, and security requirements. At the same time, rising inferencing demands are reshaping CIO priorities, with projections indicating that AI compute workloads will increasingly shift toward inferencing by 2030.

Employee productivity is another key focus area. Half of all enterprise PC purchases are expected to transition to AI-optimized devices equipped with on-device AI agents, signaling a move toward more intelligent, assistive work environments.

Despite strong confidence in AI’s value, scaling remains a critical challenge. Only about half of AI proofs-of-concept successfully reach production, highlighting the need for better execution frameworks, governance models, and cross-functional alignment as enterprises move deeper into the AI-driven future.

PLDT Enterprise Champions Innovation-Driven Industry Collaboration at the GSMA Digital Nation Summit 2025

Every digital transaction – from paying bills to running a business – depends on one thing: trust. At the GSMA Digital Nation Summit 2025, PLDT Enterprise showcased how secure and collaborative technologies are helping build that trust across the Philippines.

Building on the recent launch of SmartSafe – the country’s first telco-powered anti-fraud API suite that adopts GSMA Open Gateway standards – the corporate business arm of PLDT Inc. (PLDT) joined top technology players, telcos, and policy leaders at GSMA’s Summit to champion innovation and partnership.

Led by PLDT Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise Business Group, Blums Pineda, PLDT Enterprise joined several sessions exploring how GSMA’s Open APIs and ecosystem partnerships can accelerate the country’s journey towards a fully digital nation.

“Leveraging on GSMA-certified innovations like SmartSafe, which the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has encouraged other telcos to adopt, we believe that progress will require the collective strength of our ecosystem. Our vision is a connected Philippines powered by collaboration, where industries, developers, and government work together through shared platforms and open innovation,” Pineda explains.

Powering the next phase of digital growth through Open APIs

A panel discussion on “Connecting Possibilities: How Open APIs are Powering the Next Phase of Digital Growth” featured PLDT First Vice President and Head of Enterprise Product Management and Innovations, Nico Alcoseba, who detailed how APIs and GSMA Open Gateway are shaping innovation through open collaboration. These technologies unlock new possibilities for businesses through seamless integration, smarter services, and greater customer value – exemplified by PLDT Enterprise’s recently launched SmartSafe, a real-world example that strengthens digital trust through API-powered solutions.

Meanwhile, a roundtable on “Telco APIs Powering the Next Wave of Fintech Security and Growth” had PLDT Enterprise Senior Manager and Head of Enterprise Innovations and Product Development, Mickey Ruiz, discuss how telco-enabled APIs can strengthen digital trust and fuel innovation across the financial technology ecosystem.

At the main plenary, PLDT and Smart Head of Network Strategy, Eric Santiago, and PLDT Enterprise Head of Strategic Business Development, Mobile Private Networks, IoT and Emerging Technologies, Gio Abaquin, underscored how future-ready connectivity is powering digital transformation across industries and communities nationwide.

Furthering PLDT Enterprise’s commitment to inclusive growth, Stephanie V. Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Management at PLDT and Smart, joined the panel “Empowering MSMEs: Advancing Digital Skills for Inclusive Philippine Growth.” She discussed how the eBizNovation program is enabling MSMEs to embrace digital tools and training that expand opportunities and boost competitiveness.

Empowering healthcare through innovation

Beyond APIs and digital services, PLDT Enterprise continues to lead innovation in other sectors that rely on connectivity and collaboration. During the Summit, the company formalized a strategic partnership with Germany-based health tech innovator apoQlar through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing led by Pineda and witnessed by Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific at GSMA, and Terence Wong, GSMA’s Head for 5G Industry and IoT Community.

The collaboration pioneers the use of Mixed Reality (MR) technology in Philippine healthcare through HoloMedicine, a cloud-based solution that is powered by the 5G network of PLDT’s wireless subsidiary, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart). The technology enables health professionals to visualize and interact with medical imaging and patient data in real time, without complex hospital IT integration.

Advancing the Philippines towards a digital nation

From championing open and secure innovation to forging new partnerships, PLDT Enterprise’s participation at the GSMA Digital Nation Summit 2025 reflects its continuing role as a catalyst for digital transformation across industries as well as for the entire nation. “As PLDT Enterprise continues to expand its API ecosystem and enterprise innovations portfolio, we remain steadfast in our goal to power progress through trusted, connected, and collaborative technologies,” Pineda says.

Hitachi Vantara Announces Virtual Storage Platform One’s Availability on Google Cloud Marketplace to Strengthen Hybrid Cloud Data Management

SANTA CLARA, California – Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), today announced new capabilities for Virtual Storage Platform One Software-Defined Storage (VSP One SDS), now available on Google Cloud Marketplace. The new capabilities bring enterprise features to the public cloud, including two-way asynchronous replication, thin provisioning, and advanced data compression. These enhanced features provide enterprises with greater flexibility, data efficiencies, enhanced disaster recovery option,s and simplified data mobility across on-premises and cloud environments.

As hybrid cloud deployment architectures grow, organizations increasingly combine public and private clouds to meet evolving business needs. According to a 2025 cloud adoption report, nearly 80% of companies now use multiple public clouds and 60% operate several private clouds, highlighting the rising need for consistency and control in complex infrastructures. As AI significantly increases the data storage requirements for businesses, recent industry research shows that 47% of IT and security leaders struggle with limited visibility across hybrid environments – making it more challenging to manage risk and maintain control.

With its availability on Google Cloud Marketplace, VSP One empowers customers to deploy storage resources across cloud and on‑premises environments through a single management interface with no re-architecting required. New capabilities include thin provisioning and compression that can further reduce cloud storage costs by up to 40%, enabling customers to maximize efficiency and performance while minimizing overhead. Additionally, two-way asynchronous replication enhances disaster recovery strategies by allowing primary and secondary sites to operate as both source and target.

“Bringing VSP One to Google Cloud Marketplace will help customers quickly deploy, manage, and grow the data management solution on Google Cloud's trusted, global infrastructure," said Dai Vu, managing director, Marketplace & ISV GTM Programs, Google Cloud. “Hitachi Vantara can now securely scale and support customers on their digital transformation journeys.”

VSP One offers enterprise-level availability to the public cloud, designed to support high service reliability and uptime that businesses of all sizes expect, especially when downtime or re-architecture costs are significant. VSP One is engineered for continuous availability, with a target of 99.999% uptime. This helps reduce costs while enabling native migration to and from any storage platform and cloud. It supports quicker recovery from unplanned outages and helps organizations maintain business continuity with greater confidence.

“Customers want the freedom to choose the right cloud for every workload and the assurance that their data will remain protected, available, and easy to manage,” said Octavian Tanase, chief product officer, Hitachi Vantara. “With availability on Google Cloud Marketplace and the addition of two-way asynchronous replication, VSP One empowers our customers to easily streamline hybrid cloud operations while strengthening their resiliency posture.”

Opening new opportunities for Hitachi Vantara channel partners to support customers as they evolve their hybrid cloud strategies, this offering provides a more flexible, software-defined approach and deeper integration with Google Cloud. It gives partners new ways to address critical priorities like resiliency, security, and sustainability, while helping customers improve operations, strengthen data protection, and get more value from the infrastructure they already have.

The expansion to Google Cloud reflects Hitachi Vantara’s ongoing commitment to innovation across the VSP One platform. It builds on the recent launch of VSP 360, a unified data management software platform that simplifies the VSP One user experience and provides transparent insights into data and infrastructure.

To learn more about VSP One SDS and how it can simplify hybrid cloud operations while cutting costs, visit: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/products/storage-platforms/software-defined-storage

For more information about VSP One, visit our website: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/products/storage-platforms/data-platform

LCF Honors High-Impact CSR Initiatives with Guild Awards and Medal of Recognition

Manila, Philippines — League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) recognized outstanding corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives during the CSR Awarding Ceremony, conferring the Guild Awards and Medal of Recognition to organizations that are driving meaningful impact across communities. These honors underscore how strategic CSR is in enabling businesses to lead in innovation, resilience, and inclusive development.

“It’s encouraging to see that many of this year’s winners are working closely with marginalized groups—including Indigenous communities and persons with disabilities—truly reflecting this year’s theme of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Shem Jose Garcia, LCF Chairperson. “Further, this creates space for collaboration and leveraging our collective strengths, especially in today’s society, where true success goes beyond efficiency and optimization to nurturing people and the communities we affect. That is how we achieve shared prosperity.”

Part of the broader CSR Week celebrations—which also include a Conference, Expo, and the Net Zero Tree Planting Activity—the CSR Awards was held alongside events under the theme “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity for Shared Prosperity.” which provided an avenue for leaders from the private sector, development organizations, and civil society to explore how businesses can embed CSR and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices into their core operations and address inequality and foster more resilient, inclusive communities.

Among this year’s CSR Guild Award recipients were organizations recognized across several key categories, including outstanding CSR Projects in Enterprise Development, Education, Environment, Disaster Resilience, Arts and Culture, Financial Inclusion, Health, and the Outstanding CSR Collaboration Project.

Awardees were:

• Ayala Foundation, Inc. (Outstanding Project in Enterprise Development), recognized for its Iraya Mangyan weaving program supporting indigenous artisans;
  
  
• Vivant Foundation, Inc. (Outstanding Project in Education), honored for Project Liadlaw, which brings solar power to off-grid schools;
  
  
• Metro Pacific Investments Foundation, Inc. (Outstanding Project in Environment), awarded for expanding its MPIC Guardians Program to strengthen coastal conservation in Siargao and Mabini;
  
  
• Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc. (Outstanding Project in Disaster Resilience), acknowledged for developing inclusive preparedness tools for the deaf community; and
  
  
• Aboitiz Foundation, in partnership with the Hedcor Group (Outstanding Project in Arts and Culture), was recognized for reviving traditional textiles through Project Tahi 'Ta.
  
  
• Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Outstanding Project in Financial Inclusion) – recognized for helping boost the resilience of near-shore fishing communities through financial literacy training and livelihood support under Building Household & Resilience Among Near-shore Fishers (Phase 2);
  
  
• Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Outstanding Project in Health) – honored for expanding access to basic medical services by establishing Sun Barangay Health Stations in remote and underserved communities; and
  
  
• Philippines Shell Foundation, Inc., with Metrobank Foundation, Inc. and Manila Water Foundation, Inc. (Outstanding CSR Collaboration Project) – awarded for tackling childhood malnutrition through the Roots to Shoots program, a multi-sectoral effort that integrates nutrition, water access, sanitation, and agriculture interventions.

Also recognized as finalists for their noteworthy projects across LCF’s CSR focus areas were: Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. and Ayala Foundation, Inc. (Arts & Culture); ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. and Joy-Nostalg Foundation, Inc. (Disaster Resilience); Jollibee Group Foundation, Inc. and Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc. (Education); Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. & Aboitiz Land, Inc. and Manila Water Foundation, Inc. (Environment); and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. and PLDT-Smart Foundation, Inc. (Enterprise Development).

In addition to recognizing its member foundations, LCF also honored non-member organizations through the CSR Medal of Recognition, awarded to programs demonstrating high impact across LCF’s key CSR focus areas, including disaster resilience, enterprise development, environment, education, and health.

This year’s awardees included:

• Pioneer Adhesives Foundation, Inc. (PAFI) (Disaster Resilience), for Angat Sining Tibay at Galing (ASTIG)
  
  
• First Gen Corporation (Enterprise Development), for Threads of Change, supporting indigenous weavers in Jabonga;
  
  
• Fluor Daniel Inc., Philippines (Environment), for Commitment to Sustainability: Environmental Stewardship, promoting environmental conservation through mangrove reforestation, coastal cleanups, and education initiatives.
  
  
• Pascual Laboratories (Environment), for the SEED program on environmental education and sustainable agriculture; and
  
  
• Pioneer Adhesives Foundation, Inc. (PAFI) (Education), for WRAP in School, which promotes waste reduction and sustainability through student engagement and environmental awareness;
  
  
• Juanito I. King Foundation, Inc. (Health), for Project Healthy Smile at Bittang Elementary School, providing dental health education and services to underserved children.

The following organizations have also been named finalists for their noteworthy projects: Fluor Daniel Inc.(Disaster Resilience), Philippines; First Gen Corporation (Environment); Rex Education (Education); Philippine Manufacturing Co. of Murata Inc., and Cebu Mitsumi (Health), with special citations awarded to Sentinel Upcycling Technologies (Environment), The Teacher’s Gallery, Inc.(Education), and Philippine Manufacturing Co. of Murata Inc. (Health).

From Live Selling to Sales: PLDT Enterprise and TikTok Shop Fuel Digital Wins for Mindanao MSMEs

Davao City’s fast-growing economy has opened new opportunities for local businesses in recent years. Seeing Mindanao entrepreneurs embrace technology even more, PLDT Enterprise, the corporate arm of leading integrated telco network, PLDT Inc., teamed up with TikTok Shop Philippines during a panel for Tech Week PH in Davao City to discuss how to maximize technology, innovation, and the latest digital platforms for business growth.

“Our mission is to empower MSMEs in every corner of the country, and we are proud to support platforms and initiatives that foster innovation and digital inclusion,” said Mitch Locsin, First Vice President and Head of Enterprise Core Business at PLDT and Smart. “Mindanao’s entrepreneurial spirit is thriving, and by embracing digital tools, local businesses can unlock immense potential for growth and sustainability.”

During a panel for Tech Week PH in Davao City earlier this year, experts shared insights on how micro-, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can expand their reach by leveraging the use of the TikTok Shop platform, providing participants with the tools needed to thrive in today’s digital landscape.

“TikTok Shop can help Davaoeño MSMEs grow by increasing their visibility online, connecting them with new customers across the country, and driving organic growth through genuine engagement,” shared Franco Aligaen, Marketing Lead for TikTok Shop Philippines.

Aligaen highlighted the platform’s potential for boosting revenue, offering practical tips and key strategies for Mindanao-based entrepreneurs, and included a step-by-step guide on setting up an online store and best practices for creating engaging content to attract customers and optimizing TikTok Shop’s algorithm to increase visibility on the platform.

Participants gained valuable knowledge on harnessing e-commerce to improve business performance, with technology and industry gurus emphasizing the importance of a strong digital presence and authentic engagement to drive sales.

As more businesses turn to platforms like TikTok Shop, initiatives like PLDT Enterprise’s Tech Week PH play a crucial role in equipping home-grown enterprises for digital transformation to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Explore the digital solutions PLDT Enterprise offers to support business growth, visit https://bit.ly/pldtenterprise-tiktokshop-joins-twph2025-dvo-pr

TeamViewer Launches DEX Essentials to Empower Small and Medium Businesses with Enterprise-Grade IT Capabilities

Singapore – TeamViewer, a global leader in digital workplace solutions, has unveiled TeamViewer DEX Essentials, a groundbreaking addition to its product lineup that brings digital employee experience (DEX) technology to businesses of all sizes — including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the first time.

Traditionally, DEX platforms have been designed with large corporations in mind, focusing on the demands of managing thousands of users and devices. With DEX Essentials, TeamViewer is making advanced DEX capabilities more accessible, offering an out-of-the-box, easy-to-deploy solution that helps IT teams proactively manage digital workplaces regardless of their size.

“A smooth digital experience is fundamental to how people work today — but it shouldn't be exclusive to the largest enterprises,” said Mei Dent, Chief Product and Technology Officer at TeamViewer. “With TeamViewer DEX Essentials, we’re putting real-time visibility, automated remediation, and smart insights into the hands of every IT team.”

Currently available through an early access program, TeamViewer DEX Essentials will launch commercially later this month. Initial feedback has been highly positive, highlighting the value of combining TeamViewer’s trusted remote connectivity with powerful DEX technology.

For businesses in Singapore, where digital competitiveness is crucial, this solution arrives at a pivotal time. TeamViewer DEX Essentials allows organisations to optimise IT operations, reduce downtime, and enhance employee productivity — all while maintaining system stability and compliance.

Key features of TeamViewer DEX Essentials include:

• Proactive issue resolution before performance or network problems affect users

• Automated fixes for routine IT tasks, reducing service tickets and saving time

• Seamless security and system updates that avoid interrupting daily workflows

• Actionable analytics to enhance compliance and employee experience

The launch follows TeamViewer’s acquisition of 1E, a move that significantly strengthens its position in the DEX space. Built on 1E’s proven technology, DEX Essentials is fully integrated into TeamViewer’s Remote and Tensor platforms, delivering enterprise-grade features within a user-friendly framework tailored for lean IT teams.

With DEX Essentials, TeamViewer is fulfilling its mission to simplify complex IT processes and extend premium digital workplace tools to all organisations — not just the largest players.

ChatGenie Launches Multi-Ai Agent Framework to Enhance Consumer Engagement Between Local Enterprises and Their Customers

November 2024, Manila, Philippines — ChatGenie, a provider of AI-powered customer engagement solutions on platforms like Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, has launched a proprietary multi-AI agent framework for its chatbots, aimed at enhancing the accuracy and relevance of interactions between local enterprises and their customers. With this advancement, ChatGenie is positioning itself to capture a share of the global chatbot market, which is projected to exceed $17 billion by 2027.

This technology integrates advanced models from OpenAI (GPT-4o) and Meta’s Llama (Llama 3.1), enabling ChatGenie to deliver smarter and personalized chatbot experiences in Filipino, English, and local dialects, helping businesses engage effectively across multiple social media channels.

"Businesses are seeking more accurate and reliable chatbot solutions to meet customer expectations," said Ragde Falcis, CEO and Co-founder of ChatGenie. "Our multi-AI agent framework employs specialized AI agents that work together to analyze and provide accurate responses to customer inquiries. This approach aims for an accuracy rate between 90–95%, improving upon existing solutions."

In a move to further enhance its offering, ChatGenie has partnered with Meta to integrate Business Messaging and Click-to-Messenger Ad solutions, enabling seamless customer interaction across Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram while enhancing businesses' organic and paid marketing efforts.

“The company’s AI agents are now fully compatible with Meta's tools, ensuring that businesses can leverage these powerful solutions for improved customer engagement,” he added.

ChatGenie’s multi-AI framework uses specialized agents to streamline customer inquiries: the Intent AI Agent identifies the purpose behind inquiries, the Prompt Guard AI Agent filters out irrelevant ones, and the Classification AI Agent directs inquiries to the appropriate workflow. The Conversation AI Agent drafts responses, while the Refinement AI Agent fine-tunes them for accuracy and relevance. This coordinated approach aims to deliver precise and satisfying customer interactions.

Meanwhile, ChatGenie’s platform integrates with Meta's Business Growth Tools, enabling businesses to send updates and promotions directly to customers. Promo Campaign Agents optimize promotion strategies, Click-to-Messenger campaigns drive ad engagement, and Lead Targeting Agents use customer data for targeted outreach.

As the demand for AI-driven customer engagement solutions continues to rise, ChatGenie is positioned to meet this growing market need with its enhanced capabilities.

"As AI-driven customer engagement becomes increasingly important, our technology allows businesses to scale their interactions effectively and improve overall customer experiences," added Falcis.

"By integrating with Meta’s solutions, we ensure that our company and clients are well-equipped to thrive in the expanding digital economy."

Recognizing its strong commitment to helping businesses through its In-App Stores, ChatGenie was chosen to participate in the prestigious Techstars Future of eCommerce Accelerator Program Powered by eBay. Its list of clients includes Sun Life and Vans.

PLDT Enterprise Achieves MSSP Partner of the Year for Two Consecutive Years from Fortinet Philippines

Committed to staying at the forefront of providing networking and cybersecurity solutions at par with global standards, PLDT Enterprise was awarded the Fortinet Advanced Partner of the Year 2023 specializing in SD-WAN and Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) Partner of the Year award by Fortinet Philippines for two years in a row.

Fortinet Philippines’ MSSP Partner of the Year 2023 award was attributed to PLDT’s significant managed services revenue contribution across vertical sectors, including retail, food, and large conglomerates, and the Advanced Partner of the Year 2023 for consistent revenue contribution and continuous technical development across all Advanced Partners.

“The awards not only recognize the dedication of PLDT Enterprise to delivering new services but also emphasize our impact on the customers who benefit from these solutions. As businesses increasingly rely on the cloud for critical operations and data storage, the PLDT SD-WAN solution enables us to deliver agile, scalable, and secure networking solutions to our clients, supporting businesses in their respective digital transformation journeys,” shared PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Head of Enterprise and International Core Business, Mitch Locsin.

These awards showcase the expertise and excellence that PLDT Enterprise brings to its customers, whether it's in advanced managed security services or SD-WAN specialization. PLDT SD-WAN solution helps transform PLDT Enterprises’ network, elevating the customer experience with enhanced resiliency, integrated security, and fast access to the cloud.

 

Apart from the revenue leadership, PLDT Enterprise showcased its expertise through skills development and technical certifications as well as continued collaboration with Fortinet Philippines– ensuring that customers are supported both on the technical and commercial or sales side, attesting to PLDT Enterprise's capability to meet the diverse needs of businesses across industries.

 

“Looking ahead, we at PLDT Enterprise are unwavering in our pursuit of excellence as we constantly look for opportunities to evolve our services and deliver the latest and most comprehensive range of solutions to our customers,” Locsin added.

 

Since the partnership, PLDT Enterprise and Fortinet Philippines have continued to carry out their shared goal of providing new technologies and efficient management of SD-WAN solutions and ensuring customers are protected from the constant threats of cybersecurity attacks.

 

“As key partners, these awards signify our appreciation for the hard work and dedication of PLDT Enterprise to enhance further its capabilities through Fortinet Philippines’ Engage program, and to fully support more projects and foster stronger collaboration with leading brands across various industries in the country,” said Fortinet Philippines Country Manager, Alan Reyes.

These recognitions and certifications contribute to PLDT's aspirational multi-year transformation, with elevating customer experience as one of the key priorities. Furthermore, PLDT's initiatives to drive the digital transformation of businesses are aligned with the PLDT Group's commitment as one of the founding members of the government-mandated Presidential Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) under the Digital Infrastructure Pillar.

'888-PASAY' Hotline Powered by PLDT Enterprise, Pasay City Unveiled to Enhance Community Support

Leading integrated telco network, PLDT Inc. (PLDT), through its B2B arm, PLDT Enterprise, has partnered with the City Government of Pasay to launch the LGU's official hotline '888-PASAY' or 888-72729 enabling better and more efficient communications between the city and its constituents.

The new system replaces the multiple phone numbers for various city hall departments, offering a single access point for all citizen inquiries, concerns, and requests. This transformation aims to provide a more efficient and responsive communication channel, ensuring faster and more direct access to the services Pasayeños needs.

“We are proud to partner with the City Government of Pasay and Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano in strengthening communications in their city through relevant PLDT Enterprise digital products and solutions. Together with the City Government of Pasay, we are committed to enabling the city to further level up the delivery of its government services to their constituents,” said Mitch Locsin, First Vice President and Head of Enterprise and International Core Business at PLDT and Smart.

The 888-PASAY trunkline will be staffed by the Pasay City Public Information Office (PIO), tasked to handle inquiries and direct the callers to the appropriate department. The system will also feature advanced call-routing technology to ensure prompt and efficient receiving of the calls.

 

“We are committed to making our government more accessible and responsive to the needs of our constituents,” stated Mayor Calixto-Rubiano. “This new system will significantly improve our ability to serve our constituents. It will allow us to respond to their needs more quickly and effectively, ultimately making their lives easier and more convenient.”

 

Through this partnership, PLDT Enterprise and the City Government of Pasay are upgrading the city's correspondence system and networks to keep up with the evolving needs of the LGU, leading to faster response times and improved service delivery to better serve Pasay City residents. This collaboration is a testament to the telco group and the City Government of Pasay’s unwavering dedication to improving service delivery and creating a more efficient and citizen-centric government.

 

This initiative is in line with the PLDT Group's drive to empower communities and enable the creation of smart cities through meaningful innovation, a fundamental part of its overall support for the government's digitalization push. It also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), particularly on SDG No. 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Reliable & Trustworthy LLMs: RagaAI Open-Sources the most comprehensive Platform for Evaluation & Guardrails

San Francisco, US - March 2024; Today, RagaAI, the leading AI testing company, is significantly expanding its testing platform by launching “RagaAI LLM Hub“, its open-source and enterprise-ready LLMs evaluation and guardrails platform. With over 100 meticulously designed metrics, it is the most comprehensive platform that allows developers and organizations to evaluate and compare LLMs effectively and establish essential guardrails for LLMs and Retrieval Augmented Generation(RAG) applications. 

These tests assess various aspects including Relevance & Understanding, Content Quality, Hallucination, Safety & Bias, Context Relevance, Guardrails, and Vulnerability scanning, along with a suite of Metric-Based Tests for quantitative analysis.

The RagaAI LLM Hub is uniquely designed to help teams identify issues and fix them throughout the LLM lifecycle, be it a proof-of-concept or an application in production. From understanding the quality of datasets to prompt templating and the choice of LLM architecture or vectorDBs, RagaAI LLM Hub identifies issues across the entire RAG pipeline. This is pivotal for understanding the root cause of failures within an LLM application and addressing them at their source, revolutionizing the approach to ensuring reliability and trustworthiness. 

"At RagaAI, our mission is to empower developers and enterprises with the tools they need to build robust and responsible LLMs," said Gaurav Agarwal, Founder and CEO of RagaAI. "With our comprehensive open-source evaluation suite, we believe in democratizing AI innovation. Together with the enterprise-ready version, we've created a comprehensive solution to enable organizations to navigate the complexities of LLMs deployment with confidence. This is a game-changing solution that provides unparalleled insights into the reliability and trustworthiness of LLMs and RAG applications."

The RagaAI LLMs Hub is already utilized across industries like E-commerce, Finance, Marketing, Legal, and Healthcare, and the platform supports developers and enterprises in various LLM applications including chatbots, content creation, text summarization, and source code generation. For instance, one customer came to RagaAI after encountering hallucinations and incorrect outputs whilst developing a customer service chatbot. Leveraging RagaAI LLM Hub's comprehensive metrics, they pinpointed and quantified the hallucination issue in the RAG pipeline. Additionally, the platform adeptly identifies nuanced customer issues and recommends specific areas within the pipeline for resolution.

The RagaAI LLM Hub helps in setting guardrails, ensuring data privacy and legal compliance, including transparency regulations and anti-discrimination laws. It plays a vital role in promoting ethical & Responsible AI practices, such as in sensitive sectors like finance, healthcare, and law. Additionally, it helps mitigate reputational risks by adhering to societal norms and values.

You can learn more by visiting RagaAI’s enterprise-ready Testing Platform: raga.ai/llms 

Today’s launch comes following RagaAI's successful funding round in January 2024, underscoring the company's momentum and commitment to advancing LLMs quality assurance.

Globe partners with GMS to transform enterprise customer experience with AI-powered solutions

Globe, a leading digital solutions platform in the Philippines, has entered into a strategic partnership with AI-driven communications solutions partner GMS to revolutionize the landscape of customer experience for enterprises across the country through state-of-the-art communications solutions powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Globe and GMS are committed to enhancing the experience for enterprise customers by offering a comprehensive omnichannel campaign suite. This includes the deployment of conversational AI tools like chatbots to facilitate initial interactions, and leveraging GenAI for content creation, analysis, and insights.

These technologies empower organizations to enhance customer engagement, operational efficiency, data-driven decision-making, and cost reduction. With the offerings, Globe expects a significant boost in customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty, ultimately translating into increased revenue.

“We’ve had a highly successful collaboration with GMS for international A2P messaging through our portfolio company m360 for several years. Now, we are excited to extend our partnership because we believe GMS’ redefined business strategy aligns with Globe’s goal to empower each Filipino with everyday digital solutions,” said Ernest Cu, President and CEO of the Globe Group.

 

GMS' expertise in innovative communications solutions will bolster Globe's ability to deliver sustainable business solutions to its customers and end users. These solutions are also tailored to complement Globe's diverse range of digital offerings, encompassing fintech, healthtech, adtech, edutech, climate tech, shared services, investments, and entertainment sectors.

 

Charles Upchurch, CEO of GMS, remarked: “Building on our strong legacy in messaging and our profound knowledge of the MNO and enterprise business, GMS is shifting its focus to the AI-powered future of communications. We’re leading this transformation by partnering with our clients and supporting them in every step of their journey. And we are excited to have this major partnership with Globe as it continues to expand its menu of digital solutions.”

 

The collaboration underscores Globe's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver unparalleled value to its rapidly expanding customer base, ushering in a new era of customer experience excellence.

 

To learn more about Globe, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/.

Xurpas Bets on AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a potential game-changer across many industries. According to the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) AI roadmap, AI has the potential to boost the Philippine economy by USD$92 billion in the next six years. From revolutionizing customer experiences to streamlining operations, AI is transforming the way business is done.

Continuing its mission to lead digital transformation and empower businesses and organizations through technology, local company Xurpas Enterprise launched Xurpas AI Lab or XAIL on October 19, 2023. XAIL aims to empower businesses to maximize the potential of AI in solving real problems and unlocking untapped opportunities.

"AI is the catalyst to revolutionizing the way businesses operate from streamlining operations to enhancing customer experiences," says XAIL General Manager Fernando Jude Garcia. "At XAIL, we harness the power of intelligent algorithms and data-driven insights, enabling businesses to discern trends, make informed decisions, and propel strategic growth with precision and confidence," he continues.

XAIL adopts a practical approach to AI, ensuring its solutions are purpose-built and deliver tangible business results. Regardless of the industry or a company's readiness level, XAIL offers consultative, end-to-end expertise. They guide organizations in evaluating, implementing, and adopting AI tailored to their unique needs, providing valuable insights and fostering growth where it truly matters.

“We, at XAIL, seek to foster a genuine partnership with each of our clients to better understand and help find solutions to their business challenges. From AI-driven analytics, automation tools, personalized customer experiences, and even software engineering, our consultants will recommend the most suitable AI integration to make business operations more efficient,” explains Garcia. “We go beyond the usual consultancy services, with our combined expertise in AI, Data Science, and software engineering, we aim to guide our clients through all the phases of their AI journey, ultimately leading to their business success.”  

As the world moves forward to push the boundaries of technology, XAIL is adamant about working hand in hand with its clients to bring the widely untapped world of AI to businesses while empowering its people to drive growth through innovation.

PLDT’s expanded Cloud, data center offerings fuel Enterprise growth in First Half ’23

PLDT sustains its leadership in the enterprise business to reach ₱23.2 billion in service revenues in the first half of the year, driven by significant growth in its ICT business, consisting of data center, multi-cloud, and a suite of Fixed and Wireless Solutions.   

Data remains to be the main driver for growth for the PLDT Group, where data and broadband now account for 82% of its total revenues. Enterprise Corporate data revenue increases were propelled by higher fiber, managed IT, and iGate revenues, with data center colocation and Cloud uptake having surged 23% and 32%, respectively, from the same period last year. 

“Enterprise, along with the other business units, continue to build and drive business growth showing positive trends in our metrics. We continue to help elevate companies by enabling transformation, as we see the push for our data center colocation and cloud services as the main drivers for growth in our Enterprise business,” said PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio during PLDT’s 2023 first half results briefing.

   

On the other hand, PLDT’s international services posted a 31% increase in revenue from Enterprise international private leased circuits or IPLCs, carrier wholesale, and cross-connects in the Asia Pacific.  

   

“In further building and expanding growth in our fixed, wireless, and ICT businesses, our group remains committed to transforming industries and supporting businesses in the country, whether big or small, with solutions that provide our customers with the best chance at further success,” said PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups, Mitch Locsin. “Additionally, through our strong collaboration with our government partners, we strive to further build on our thriving IT ecosystem and gain stronger ground to attract global hyperscalers to invest here in the Philippines,” he added. 

   

Apart from the expansion projects in the capacities of its existing data centers earlier this year, PLDT subsidiary ePLDT is set to launch its 11th data center in Sta. Rosa, Laguna by the second quarter of 2024, while conceptualization of a 12th data center with a total power capacity of up to 100MW is already being evaluated. ePLDT is the pioneer and largest data center operator in the Philippines with ten data centers in its portfolio. 

  

PLDT continues to drive innovation, forging strategic partnerships and investing in ICT infrastructure to power the country’s economic aspirations. As of end-June 2023, the PLDT Group has further expanded its total fiber footprint to over 1.1 million kilometers, consisting of over 231,000 kilometers of international fiber and over 885,000 kilometers of domestic fiber passing around 17.2 million homes in 43% of the country’s barangays. 

   

Further enabling the country’s digitalization, PLDT’s extensive fiber infrastructure enables Smart’s approximately 73,800 base stations, including around 4,700 5G base stations and about 38,800 4G/LTE base stations deployed nationwide. 

  

These initiatives underscore PLDT’s commitment as a founding member of the government-mandated Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) under its Digital Infrastructure pillar and supports Sustainable Development Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

ePLDT Expands Largest Operational Data Center to Meet Surging Demand in the Philippines

ePLDT Inc., the leading data center provider in the Philippines, has announced the expansion of its largest operational data center to date, the VITRO Makati 2 (VM2), with an additional 12 MW capacity that will power nearly 1,600 new racks.

This expansion will bring VM2's total capacity to 3,360 racks running on 20 MW of total power capacity, an increase of 150%. The additional capacity will be ready by March 2023, in line with the surging data center demand in the country.

The VM2 data center serves as one of PLDT's global points of presence and connects directly to major international cable landing stations in the country, thereby directing massive global data into VITRO's network. This seamless flow of data enriches the diversity of content and IP hosted in the data center's premiere peering platform, the VITRO internet exchange (VIX).

The expansion of VM2 will enable ePLDT to accommodate additional requirements of existing customers and to keep up with the country's ever-increasing data center demands. This strategy to rapidly invest in more capacity is driven by the accelerated adoption of digital financial services, e-commerce, digital media, as well as the government's strong push for digitalization and regional competitiveness.

Aside from VM2, ePLDT's data center network in the country also includes the VITRO Cebu 2, Clark and Paranaque data centers, which boasts of achieving the most number of global certifications in the local data center industry today.

The company is also building its 11th data center in the Philippines located in a 5-hectare property in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. VITRO Sta. Rosa will have an initial power capacity of 14MW in early 2024 and will further increase to 50MW once fully operational, making it the largest and most advanced data center in the country.

With a total rack capacity of nearly 10,000, ePLDT operates the widest data center network in the country to meet the requirements of local and global enterprises across various key industries.

Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort Delivers Stronger Connections with PLDT Enterprise

PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest fully integrated telco in the country, recently partnered with one of the most premiere resorts in Cebu, the Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort, to deliver robust and reliable connections for their customers and their hotel experience.

“At PLDT and Smart, we provide customer-focused digital innovations. That is why we are honored to provide world-class Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort with unparalleled connectivity that is at par with their mission of giving a luxurious experience to its guests,” says PLDT Customer Relationship Management Head, Kent De La Calzada.

“One of the highlights of the partnership is that the resort is now powered by PLDT’s Dedicated Internet Access service, or iGate–a service that provides businesses with guaranteed bandwidth as well as reliable and managed connectivity to the Internet.” This will positively impact the resort’s operations in terms of easier and faster transactions and communication for staff, and better service and connectivity for guests, especially for business travelers.

Other connectivity solutions that are in place at Sheraton Cebu Mactan are the PLDT SIP Trunks, powered by fiber technology, which will provide quality and stable incoming and outgoing voice calls, and SMART Postpaid, powered by the latest Smart 5G network, for the mobile communication of the employees.  

Smart Broadband will also be provided for guests traveling from the airport to the hotel and vice versa. All these efforts align with Sheraton’s vision of being the best welcoming resort destination in the Philippines. 

“We value the time our guests spend with us at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort, and indeed, part of that guest experience is connectivity,” says Dottie Wurgler-Cronin, General Manager at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort. “We want them to feel connected while staying with us–be it at the hotel and the world-class services we provide or simply to each other and their loved ones back at home.” 

“With our partnership with PLDT, we are confident that we can bring that deep sense of togetherness and that unique Cebuano hospitality we are known for to all our guests,” adds Ray. G. Manigsaca, President and CEO of AppleOne Properties, Inc. 

Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort is a 261-room premium resort property at Mactan Island in Lapu-Lapu City, a 30-minute drive from Mactan International Airport.  

For more information, visit https://pldtenterprise.com/.