Aboitiz Sets Sights on Expanding AI Business in SEA

What began as a way of supporting its own subsidiaries’ digitalization, led to its entry into the data science and artificial intelligence (AI) business, which Aboitiz says will now expand in Southeast Asia.

In a bid to be one of the leading providers of data science and artificial intelligence technology in Southeast Asia, Aboitiz Data Innovation (ADI), the Aboitiz Group’s data science and artificial intelligence arm, has disclosed that it has started to explore opportunities in the region.

Aboitiz Data Innovation CEO David Hardoon

ADI CEO David Hardoon shared that they have started to forge regional partnerships, teaming up with Cloudera for Generative AI capabilities for the financial services and industrial sectors, followed by a partnership with Thailand’s REPCO NEX and AboitizPower, to create the country’s first smart power plant. Hardoon said that they see an immense opportunity to share ADI’s knowledge and expertise in AI technology to other South East Asian markets, as the challenges in developing and delivering AI technology to other parts of the region, would be similar to the Philippines.

“We plan to expand this capability from the Philippines and Singapore to other Southeast Asian markets. By sharing our methods, ADI can help multiple organizations excel, transforming whole sectors across the region,” said Hardoon.

Earlier this year, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) released a regional guide on artificial intelligence governance and ethics to support and safeguard its member countries as they embrace AI and the opportunities it brings, which the US-ASEAN Business Council estimates could add $1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s gross domestice product (GDP) by 2030.

In the Philippines, ADI began by engineering Union Bank’s digital transformation, and integrating AI into AboitizPower’s power plant operations and maintenance. It has further expanded by collaborating with Victorias City for smart city road mapping, and the Department of Budget and Management on using analytics for data-driven decision-making.

ADI is a subsidiary, of Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), a publicly listed company of the Aboitiz Group, with major investments in power, banking and financial services, food, infrastructure, land, and data science and artificial intelligence.

With headquarters in Singapore, ADI offers data science and AI products and capabilities currently tailored for the financial services, industrials, and public sectors in Singapore and the Philippines.