By Datuk Seri Vijay Eswaran

Across Southeast Asia, a quiet anxiety is taking root beneath the surface of global optimism about artificial intelligence (AI).

By 2030, an estimated 164 million workers in ASEAN could see their roles come under risks of disruption by generative AI, through automation of routine tasks and the augmentation of complex roles. Recent studies also show that workers now fear that job losses driven by AI will outpace job creation, as a result of increasing AI over-dependence.

This has led to a growing fatalist attitude. With the emerging belief that the future of work will be determined not by people, but by the algorithms they build and by those who control them.

Yet this narrative, while compelling, is incomplete.

The future of work is not something that happens to us. It is something we create. At its core, job creation is not determined by technological advancements alone, but also by human-driven initiative and decisions. It is driven by individuals who choose to build, to solve, and to lead.

If ASEAN is to navigate this moment with confidence, it must look beyond remaining a passive player in this AI race, and ask a more fundamental question: what choices can we make today to make sure that we are creators, not just adopters, of market opportunities?

Entrepreneurs as Human Agency in Job Creation

Work is more than survival. It is dignity, identity, and contribution. In the Philippines, entrepreneurship has long been a lifeline for families and communities, from sari-sari stores to tech startups. Employment is closely tied to well-being, social stability, and personal agency.

Reskilling programs, especially in digital and AI-related skills, are critical, but they only prepare workers for jobs that may or may not exist. Job growth depends on entrepreneurs who create businesses and expand industries. Small and medium enterprises already account for the majority of employment in the country. Without enabling entrepreneurship, reskilling risks becoming a strategy that equips people for opportunities that never materialize.

The real challenge is not whether jobs will disappear, but whether we can empower more Filipinos to become creators of opportunity. Entrepreneurship ensures that work remains tied to human agency, not just technological progress.

The Next Billion Jobs Will Come from Distributed Opportunity 

Broad-based SME growth is one of the strongest drivers of employment in developing economies. Yet in the Philippines, access to finance, networks, and markets remains uneven. Startup ecosystems are concentrated in Metro Manila, leaving rural entrepreneurs at a disadvantage.

This concentration limits inclusion and scale. When opportunity is confined to a few urban centres, the potential of millions of Filipinos in provincial communities remains untapped. Only when access to education, mentorship, and capital is more evenly distributed can entrepreneurship generate jobs at the scale the nation requires.

The next billion jobs will not come from a handful of tech hubs. They will come from distributed opportunity, from ensuring that every Filipino, regardless of geography, has the tools to build and grow.

Leveraging Technology

Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool, but its benefits risk amplifying inequality if access remains concentrated. For the Philippines, pairing AI with entrepreneurial empowerment can transform it into a force multiplier for inclusive growth.

Technology should not be framed as a competitor to human creativity. It is a collaborator. Productivity gains from AI translate into broader job creation most effectively when participation in innovation is widely distributed.

When Filipino entrepreneurs harness AI to scale their businesses, they not only create jobs but also democratize access to innovation. The future of work is not a contest between humans and machines, but a collaboration where technology accelerates what human creativity initiates.

Conclusion

The Philippines stands at a critical juncture. The conversation on the future of work must evolve from one centred on adaptation to one that embraces creation. Preparing workers to navigate change is necessary, but enabling them to drive that change is essential.

The next billion jobs will not be generated by algorithms alone. They will come from Filipinos who choose to build businesses, solve problems, and create value in ways that technology alone cannot dictate.

The role of policy and institutions is clear. It is to ensure that the capacity to create is not limited to a few, but accessible to many. Because the future of work will not be written by code alone. It will be written by people who decide to act.