Artificial intelligence for digital novice enterprise training

ILO for the first time piloted a generative AI session for the training for the digitalization of micro-, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at the training-of-trainers (ToT) workshop in Zamboanga City in December 2023. Titled as “AI for Digital Novice MSMEs,” it covered such topics as marketing planning through AI-assisted personas creation and AI mock interview with the AI-generated personas as well as AI-assisted social media posting. It was offered as part of the digital marketing session built on the tradition of ILO’s proprietary entrepreneurship training programme Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB).

© ILO Manila

© ILO Manila

Under the Inclusive, Competitive and Responsible Digital Philippines Joint Programme (Digital-PINAS), ILO has mainstreamed AI use cases across its entrepreneurship training and branded the whole training as “AI for Digital Novice MSMEs” training (AI4MSMEs). The training goes beyond the text generation and taps the latest functions made available under the free plans of popular generative AI services applied to specific business processes. These functions include the multi-lingual voice chat, data file analysis, enhanced image analysis, image generation, thinking/reasoning model, and Deep Research.

AI4MSMEs under Digital-PINAS has been evolving through an agile iteration cycle of continuous development, feedback and refinement of its contents in search of what really works for MSMEs and the training partners in the Philippines while catching up with the exponential development of generative AI services. Its modules have expanded from four (4) in February 2025 to 16 as of June 2025. The latest additions are the AI-Powered Business Idea Generation and AI-Powered Business Planning. They are grouped into: Modules for Startup Track, Modules for Existing Entrepreneurs Track, and Common Modules.

© ILO Manila

© ILO Manila

© ILO Manila

© ILO Manila

Key implementation milestones with partners are as follows:

• 21 February 2025: “Introduction to Free AI Services and Practical Use Cases for MSMEs and Farmers: Follow-up training for the former trainees on digital record keeping” in collaboration with the Igbaras Federation of Farmers Association (IFFA) [Igbaras, Iloilo, Region VI]—This was the first testing of the new AI-mainstreamed contents in the rural setting.
• 10-11 March 2025: AI Refresher Training for the Active SIYB Trainers (Group 1) from the preceding project “Bringing Back Jobs Safely under the COVID-19 Crisis in the Philippines (BBJS)” [online]—The training contents have been structured into modules for the Existing Entrepreneurs Track.
• 12-14 March 2025: AI Refresher Training for the Active SIYB Trainers (Group 2) from BBJS [online]—a total of 37 active SIYB trainers from BBJS have received AI training through Refresher 1 and 2.
• 4-8 April 2025: Field Mission to CARAGA including April 8 Training-of-Entrepreneurs (ToE) Workshop on AI for Digital Novice MSMEs (AI4MSMEs) in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 13 [Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, Region XIII]—This was the second testing of the ToE contents in the rural setting.
• 8 April 2025: Co-creation Workshop on AI-Mainstreamed Training for Digital Novice MSMEs with various participants from the development and the AI sectors [hybrid at ILO Office, Makati, NCR]—Two-track structure of AI4MSMEs has been introduced together with sample module contents for the review of the participants.
• 28-29 April 2025: 1st ToT of AI4MSMEs with the Department of Information Technologies and Communication (DICT) [Talisay, Batangas, Region IV-A]—The first ToT with the full set of modules for the Existing Entrepreneurs Track.
• 2 May 2025: ToE in collaboration with Quezon City [Quezon City, NCR]—The first testing of the ToE contents in the urban setting.
• 20 May 2025: ToE in collaboration with the National Capital Region Office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-NCR) [Manila, NCR] —The second testing of the ToE contents in the urban setting.
• 21-23 May 2025: 2nd ToT with the National Wages and Productivity Commission of the Department of Labor and Employment (NWPC-DOLE) [Pasay, NCR]
• 26-30 May 2025 3rd ToT with Center for the Development of Sustainable Communities for Social Progress (CDSCP) [hybrid at Tacloban, Region VIII] —The first full-scale ToT with the introduction of the new Start-up Track contents including AI-Powered Business Idea Generation and AI-Powered Business Planning.
• 2-6 June 2025: 4th ToT with DOLE Region 8 [hybrid at Tacloban, Region VIII]
• 17 June 2025: Follow-up coaching for the Quezon City MSMEs [online]
• 23 June 2025: Follow-up coaching for the DOLE-NWPC trainers [online]

© ILO Manila

© ILO Manila

It is expected that, through the ToT-ToE replication model supplemented by self-paced learning materials online (forthcoming), AI4MSMEs will cover the significant number of MSME beneficiaries to achieve the minimum outreach target of Outcome 1 (15,000 MSMEs), with the aim of going beyond the target number to transform the MSME digitalization support ecosystem of the Philippines into the ecosystem that is more inclusive of digital novice MSMEs including those in far-flung areas and with limited connectivity. For that purpose, the training is closely linked to Outcome 2 of the JP that extends support to the digital centre network of DICT-Tech4ED, DTI-Negosyo Center and others. ILO built two Innovation Hubs and distributed Starlinks and PCs to remotely located Tech4ED Centers under the preceding BBJS project funded by Japan, which will be tapped for the distribution of AI4MSMEs training nation-wide.

For organizations interested in partnering for the delivery of AI4MSMEs training, please see the Information Note on the ToT below.