ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) is breaking down barriers to innovation, cost and speed — turning into a great equalizer for businesses of all sizes, according to John Rubio, chief strategy officer at Aboitiz Equity Ventures.
“AI is no longer just for big companies,” Rubio told a crowd of entrepreneurs and business leaders, during Cebu Business Month 2025 Tech and Innovation Forum on Friday, June 20, 2025.
“If you have a smartphone, you can start using it today to do things that once took months and teams of experts. AI is your new marketing department, research analyst, and design studio — all in one.”
Rubio, who once led Facebook (now Meta) and Instagram operations in the country, used live demonstrations to show how small businesses can leverage AI tools such as ChatGPT and image generators to create marketing campaigns in minutes and at little to no cost. He described AI as having eliminated the traditional trade-offs between speed, quality, and cost in business execution.
“You can now generate high-quality assets—text, images and even entire product pitches—in seconds, for free,” he said, showing the audience an image generated from a simple prompt: “A handsome Cebuano carrying a lechon in front of the Queen of England.”
Rubio said businesses that fail to adopt AI risk falling behind.
“If your competitors use AI better than you do, they’ll get better, faster, and more efficient — and they’ll sell more,” he said.
AI adoption in marketing and operations is already transforming the way micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operate, Rubio said, citing a local spa that uses AI-powered chatbots for 24/7 customer service on Facebook Messenger.
“This used to take multiple agents or tech know-how. Now it takes three buttons and a chatbot,” he said.
He also addressed the myth that AI will replace jobs.
“A marketer who knows how to use AI won’t be replaced — they’ll be 10 times more effective,” Rubio said. “It’s not about job loss, it’s about workforce amplification.”
The forum also tackled the evolution of advertising through AI — where platforms now generate customized backgrounds and messaging based on a user’s personal preferences, boosting conversion rates without additional ad spend or creative input.
Rubio encouraged businesses to begin experimenting immediately, even just by using tools like ChatGPT to refine product messaging. In one demo, he created a marketing brief for Cebu-made dried mangoes targeting Japanese tourists, then translated the message into both Japanese and Cebuano using AI.
“If you weren’t afraid, what would you try this weekend?” Rubio asked the audience, echoing a key Meta leadership value—Be bold. “This journey is just one percent finished. We’re all still at the starting line, and that means there’s room for everyone to lead.”
Rubio’s call to action emphasized inclusive digital transformation, urging entrepreneurs to embrace AI as a competitive advantage — not an obstacle.
“Let’s make the Philippines a leader in AI adoption, not a late follower,” he said. / KOC