The PLDT Group has deployed ERICA, an agentic artificial intelligence capability built on the platform of enterprise automation software provider UiPath — in what UiPath described as its first telco application of agentic AI in Southeast Asia.
ERICA, or the Enterprise Risk Intelligence Companion Agent, was developed internally by the PLDT Group’s Enterprise Risk Management team in close collaboration with PLDT and Smart’s Information Technology team and UiPath. It is designed to strengthen enterprise risk management across the organization by enhancing how risks are identified, assessed, and managed with greater speed and consistency.
UiPath is a global leader in agentic automation, empowering enterprises to harness the full potential of AI agents to autonomously execute and optimize complex business processes.
ERICA was introduced to make risk assessments more seamless and consistent across the organization. By reducing the effort required at each stage, the solution allows teams to focus on insights and decision-making, rather than administrative efforts. The solution also brings speed to how risks are assessed, helping translate complex operational information into clearer insights that can be reviewed, validated, and acted on more efficiently.
“For the PLDT Group, the real value of ERICA goes beyond the technology itself,” said Gilbert O. Gaw, PLDT and Smart FVP and Group Head of Information Technology and Transformation Office. “It reflects how we are embedding innovation into core enterprise functions in a way that is deliberate, disciplined, and aligned with how the business actually works.”
Designed to adapt to the needs of different business units, ERICA supports teams in understanding the impact of operational changes to identify the most critical risk areas that need to be managed. For the Group’s risk leaders, the solution elevates the quality and consistency of risk oversight across the organization.
“ERICA brings greater clarity and consistency to how we manage risk across the Group,” said Leah B. Jimenez, PLDT and Smart FVP and Group Head for Enterprise Risk Management and Chief Data Privacy Officer. “It strengthens the foundation of our risk practice and allows our teams to focus on insight, helping the business move forward with greater confidence.”
Human oversight remains central to ERICA’s design. All outputs are reviewed and validated by risk professionals, with full traceability maintained through existing governance systems. This ensures transparency and accountability while supporting the Group’s broader commitment to the responsible use of AI.
“Our collaboration with the PLDT Group represents UiPath’s first telco application of agentic AI in Southeast Asia,” said Amit Khandelwal, Regional Vice President and Managing Director, Southeast Asia at UiPath. “It demonstrates how AI agents orchestrated within critical business processes can enhance operational excellence and resilience. We are looking forward to expanding the use of agentic AI across the PLDT Group, with the appropriate guardrails and governance, to create value for employees and customers.”
Beyond its internal impact, ERICA positions the PLDT Group at the forefront of AI-enabled risk assessment innovation in the region and signals continued progress in the responsible adoption of enterprise AI.
Looking ahead, the Group plans to expand agentic AI adoption with UiPath and continue extending ERICA’s use across business units, strengthening enterprise-wide resilience and supporting better decision-making as the organization grows.
