The new Microsoft-TESDA partnership will enable more than 100,000 women in the Philippines to gain artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity skills. 

The tech giant announced it during last week's two-day US Presidential Trade and Investment Mission (PTIM), which was headed by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. 

New Microsoft-TESDA Partnership Will Train Over 100,000 Filipino Women to Use AI

According to CoinGeek, Microsoft aims to equip 100,000 Filipino women with AI and cybersecurity skills through its partnership with the Philippines' Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

"We are deeply committed to bringing the benefits of AI to the Philippines to foster an environment where technology and human ingenuity thrive together," Mary Snapp, vice-president of global strategic initiatives at Microsoft, said in a statement.

"These partnerships and programs reaffirm Microsoft's dedication to copiloting the Philippines' homegrown AI innovation, accelerating inclusive growth and development, and ensuring the country will remain a vibrant hub of creativity and progress in years to come," she added.

Microsoft said it will train over 100,000 women with the knowledge and expertise needed to thrive in the digital age. According to Snapp, the learners will use an online platform to learn how to use the company's AI tools, including those powered by OpenAI's large language models, to gain office skills and to be able to identify cybersecurity threats. 

The company noted that these training programs, developed in collaboration with educational institutions and corporate partners, will enhance employability and strengthen the Filipino communities' cyber resilience. 

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Philippines Ready to Embrace AI

Experts noted that the programs and partnerships confirmed by Microsoft showed that many Filipino government institutions, including the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, are planning to embrace AI-powered solutions.

These agencies seek to streamline processes using AI, from budget management to trade facilitation, ultimately propelling economic growth and public satisfaction.

"I believe Microsoft's AI solutions and Cloud platform can play a pivotal role in helping to enhance skills development in the Philippines while acting as building blocks for driving innovation and competitiveness more broadly. They can also help to bolster cybersecurity and trust in tech adoption," said Rafaelita Aldaba, PhD, Undersecretary for DTI's Competitiveness and Innovation Group.

Microsoft has also announced plans to deploy an AI-powered reading tool to help 27 million Filipino students.

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