AWS’s Pranav Talwar Champions Cloud-Powered AI for Inclusive Growth at Iloilo’s AI Fest 2025

ILOILO CITY – The conversation on technology and innovation took a decisive turn as Pranav Talwar, ASEAN Industry Lead for Amazon Web Services (AWS) Singapore, took the stage at the first-ever AI Fest in Iloilo City. Speaking to government leaders, innovators, educators, and community builders, Talwar made one thing clear—AI, powered by the cloud, is the key to accelerating innovation, bridging the digital divide, and unlocking Southeast Asia’s next chapter of inclusive growth.

He described AI as a foundational technology—much like the cloud revolution before it—capable of reshaping industries, enabling smarter cities, and empowering sustainable communities. AWS, he emphasized, is committed to ensuring that this transformation is both responsible and accessible through secure, scalable, and ethical cloud solutions.

Cloud as the Great Equalizer

Talwar explained that AWS’s mission is to democratize AI, breaking down the barriers that keep advanced technology out of reach for smaller nations and rural communities. Through services like Amazon SageMaker for building and deploying machine learning models, Amazon Bedrock for generative AI, and cost-effective processors such as AWS Inferentia and Trainium, AWS is lowering adoption costs by up to 80% compared to on-premise systems.

This, he noted, is critical for ASEAN, where urban areas are adopting AI at twice the rate of rural regions. By leveraging the cloud, countries like the Philippines can close that gap faster, ensuring that technological progress is inclusive rather than divisive.

ASEAN’s Rapid AI Adoption

Drawing from AWS’s own research, Talwar shared that AI adoption in ASEAN is growing at 30% annually, with the pandemic accelerating its use from 40% of organizations in 2020 to 70% today. While e-commerce, finance, and public governance are leading the charge, challenges such as a regional skills gap, infrastructure limitations, and regulatory hurdles remain.

To address these, AWS has invested over $5 billion in ASEAN data centers, enabling low-latency AI processing and building the infrastructure needed for next-generation applications like traffic management, predictive healthcare, and agricultural yield optimization.

The Philippine Opportunity

Focusing on the host country, Talwar highlighted the Philippines’ strengths in sectors like BPO, where AI can enhance rather than replace jobs. AWS is already working with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to support smart city initiatives in Iloilo, as well as disaster response AI systems and e-governance chatbots.

The economic potential is substantial: AWS estimates AI could contribute $92 billion to the Philippine GDP by 2030. To achieve this, Talwar called for immediate investment in renewable-powered cloud infrastructure, expanded AI education from K-12 to universities, and stronger nationwide broadband connectivity.

Jobs of the Future

Far from replacing workers, Talwar stressed that AI will transform roles, creating higher-value opportunities. AWS studies suggest that while 45% of Philippine jobs are exposed to AI, 70% of them can be augmented. Agriculture, services, and SMEs—especially women-led businesses—stand to benefit greatly from AI-driven productivity tools.

Three Pillars for Responsible AI

Talwar outlined AWS’s core strategies for building a sustainable AI future in ASEAN:

⦿ Build Scalable Infrastructure – Expanding AWS regions for AI edge computing and local data processing.

⦿ Foster Innovation Ecosystems – Partnering with governments, startups, and communities.

⦿ Upskill the Workforce – Delivering free AI training programs to over 100,000 learners across the region.

A Shared Call to Action

Closing his talk, Talwar urged collaboration between the public and private sectors, warning that inaction could leave nations trailing their global peers. “AI should not be the privilege of the few—it must be the foundation of shared progress,” he said. “By working together, we can ensure AI drives inclusion, resilience, and opportunity for all.”