PLDT taps UiPath AI to speed customer service

MANILA, Philippines — PLDT has expanded the use of artificial intelligence and automation across its operations to speed customer service, improve internal knowledge retrieval, and reduce manual work as demand rises for 5G, broadband, and satellite connectivity, according to automation software company UiPath.

The deployment matters to customers because faster access to accurate information can shorten response and service-restoration times, while automation can free employees from repetitive work and allow them to focus on resolving more complex customer and operational issues.

UiPath said PLDT integrated business orchestration and agentic capabilities from the UiPath Platform into key workflows as the telecommunications company responds to accelerating 5G adoption, wider broadband use, and growing satellite connectivity across the Philippines.

The tools are designed to streamline knowledge retrieval and modernize how employees find, interpret, and act on company information.

UiPath said the integration has helped PLDT address service-restoration bottlenecks, respond more quickly to customer inquiries, provide more proactive engagement, and improve transparency during issue resolution.

Among the initiatives is KAI, or Knowledge, Automation, Intelligence, an AI-enabled knowledge retrieval system designed to replace a manual research process that could take up to five days.

UiPath said KAI can generate contextual responses in one to three seconds using an agentic AI assistant grounded exclusively in approved information sources.

The company said KAI reduces repetitive research involved in proposal preparation and customer support, creating annual productivity capacity equivalent to approximately 12 full-time employees.

KAI is also estimated to eliminate 25,000 to 30,000 hours of manual effort annually and deliver a 99% faster response rate, according to UiPath.

The company said the system allows PLDT to increase organizational capacity without adding headcount while shifting employees from repetitive information gathering to higher-value and consultative work.

PLDT has also deployed Ellie, or the Enablement and Intelligence Engine, an internal AI-powered digital assistant that connects employees with knowledge, workflows, and systems.

UiPath said Ellie reduces manual effort by 25% to 35% and saves an estimated 18,000 to 25,000 work hours annually.

The digital assistant can also deliver customer response times that are up to 80% faster, according to the company.

UiPath described Ellie as part of a broader shift from AI systems that simply provide answers to tools capable of turning enterprise knowledge into action.

PLDT is also using ERICA, or the Enterprise Risk Intelligence Companion Agent, an agentic AI capability introduced in February 2026 to handle increasingly detailed annual risk reviews.

ERICA automatically synthesizes data, scores risks, and recommends possible treatments, according to UiPath.

The system has reduced complex risk evaluations from two to 10 days to between five minutes and one day, the company said.

UiPath said the automation translates to a 97% to 99% reduction in manual effort, allowing employees to concentrate on strategic risk treatment rather than data processing.

“The telecommunications sector is playing a major role in the Philippines’ rapidly evolving digital economy,” said Karl Crowther, Area Vice President, Middle East & Africa and South Asia, UiPath. “Customer expectations continue to rise alongside the growth of 5G, broadband, and digital services. This has created increased pressure on communications providers to deliver faster, more seamless support experiences. Leveraging the business orchestration and automation capabilities in the UiPath Platform allowed PLDT to transform enterprise knowledge into actionable intelligence, enabling teams to resolve issues more efficiently, make faster decisions, and strengthen customer trust.”

The initiatives reflect a wider push by telecommunications companies to use AI not only in customer-facing applications but also in internal processes such as knowledge management, workflow coordination, and risk assessment.

For consumers, the potential benefit depends on whether productivity gains translate into consistently faster problem resolution and better service quality, particularly as more households and businesses depend on digital connectivity for work, education, commerce, and access to essential services.

“At PLDT, we are committed to harnessing technology to better serve our customers and support the country’s growing digital needs. Our partnership with UiPath enables us to bring greater intelligence into our operations, streamline processes, unlock the value of enterprise knowledge, and deliver more consistent and personalized customer experiences. By empowering our teams with smarter ways of working, we are driving innovation and building a more agile organization for the future,” said Gilbert Gaw, PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Head of IT and Transformation Office.

UiPath, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker PATH, provides business orchestration and automation technology combining AI agents, software robots, workflow orchestration, automation, and testing.

The company said its platform is designed to support governed and scalable workflows, including in highly regulated industries where security, compliance, and operational controls are critical.