Workforce requirements for the Worca AI facility in the Pampanga area are estimated at 2,000
By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter
WORCA, a US Artificial Intelligence (AI) talent company, plans to hire 2,000 AI workers in the Philippines who can train and test AI systems for American technology research labs, according to its chief executive officer (CEO).
Steven Lin, the founder and CEO of Worca, said that the focus is on equipping employees with English and information technology to manage AI models at their future facility in Pampanga.
“It’s like an office space where we handle different types of data for the top AI research labs in the US,” he said in a video interview with. BusinessWorld.
The company aims to hire 500 people at its Pampanga location by the end of the year, with plans to grow to 2,000 in the next three years, said Mr.
Its future employees will be asked to provide context, judgment, and evaluation of real-world situations that AI machines cannot, Worca said.
When asked why the Philippines was chosen, Mr. Lin cited cultural ties to the US, particularly in terms of English proficiency.
He also noted that local talent is well suited to global demand, especially with a large number of information technology business process management workers exposed to AI as a skill development in the industry.
“If you want to make AI smart, you need a lot of smart people to feed the data,” he said. “We want to find the smartest Filipino talent to make AI smarter.”
Founded in 2021, Worca is a recruiting agency that connects talent from the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand with Silicon Valley startups and companies.
It hopes to provide its clients with virtual assistants, data processors, supply chain engineers, and account managers.
Unlike traditional office providers and BPOs, Worca supports international clients by delivering end-to-end workforce management – including payroll and benefits, time and leave tracking, equipment and workplace support, and local compliance.
In the Philippines, Worca has connected 108 workers in 20 provinces nationwide with American companies so far, according to its website.
The company is also exploring partnerships with Philippine universities for internship programs that will help increase the pool of AI-skilled workers here, Mr. Lin.
He noted that Silicon Valley firms want to attract more workers based in Asia, citing the region’s large population, as well as its highly educated and creative workforce.
AI is expected to account for 10% to 18% of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ gross domestic product by 2030, Economic Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said last week.
With digital work and AI, many workers can create international jobs without leaving their home countries, said Mr Lin.
“There are many smart people who want to have a global career, but maybe their family or their financial situation will not allow them to go abroad,” he commented.
“Worca was founded on this idea – there is more talent in Asia than anywhere else, so I want to bring Silicon Valley-type opportunities to Asia.”
