Local telco firm Infinivan, Inc. and the University of the Philippines (UP) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to co-develop LikasGPT, a multilingual, AI-powered Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system designed for businesses and users in the Philippines.
Why it matters: LikasGPT aims to improve customer service by recognizing and responding to queries in multiple Filipino languages. It addresses the language gap that often prevents customers—especially those in the provinces—from comfortably expressing concerns or asking questions, especially when English is the default. The system also seeks to reduce wait times and human errors, while enabling better documentation and business insights.
The MOA was signed by key officials from Infinivan and UP’s College of Engineering. Under the agreement, UP will lead the development of the AI backend, while Infinivan will provide infrastructure support, data, and resources for deployment.
LikasGPT, short for “likas,” meaning natural or native in Filipino, will initially be capable of understanding and generating replies in 12 Filipino languages. Plans are also in place to expand recognition to over 170 dialects. The system integrates speech-to-text and text-based AI tools to process natural language with accuracy, even accounting for regional accents, common misspellings, and abbreviations.
The system, which will be developed in around 9 months to a year before deployed by Infinivan primarily as a service for its business customers, will be trained to respond with cultural sensitivity while allowing users to interact with businesses using messaging platforms instead of calls. This caters to younger users who prefer chat and text-based support.
According to UP Engineering, the backend AI models are expected to be ready within nine months. A soft rollout to enterprise clients is being targeted for September, starting with a few languages before expanding further. The telco aims to offer LikasGPT as part of its bundled B2B services, covering about 20 percent of its current enterprise client base.
The CRM system is designed to operate 24/7, which allows businesses to capture real-time customer feedback even beyond office hours. These interactions can also be recorded and analyzed to help with decision-making and service improvements.
To ensure translation accuracy, the development team plans to work with Filipino linguists and specialists in local dialects. They also acknowledge the challenge of creating a system that not only understands local languages, but also interprets tone and context correctly.
LikasGPT is part of a broader move by Infinivan to go beyond its existing infrastructure projects, such as the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) and its national fiber backbone, by building digital tools that push digital transformation in businesses.
Both UP and Infinivan see the AI CRM project as a step toward building inclusive digital experiences, especially for regions that remain underrepresented in current customer service systems.
What are your thoughts on using AI to improve local-language customer service in the Philippines?
