(Graphics credit: Economist.com)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Who needs programmers, call center agents, strategic planners, business proposal writers, financial analysts when AI can do all that for the price of one.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is replacing real humans in many business endeavors and even in academia.

The Philippines’ leading call centers have jointly announced that they will be laying off most of their employees and replacing them with AI service. The companies said that AI will save them millions of pesos (dollars for some) in salaries and benefits to human employees as well as in infrastructure, equipment and utility bills.

This is bad news not only for call center employees but the new bar passers who were looking forward to working at call centers while establishing their law practice and reputation.