SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev), in collaboration with Philippine Artificial Intelligence Retreat (PAIR), hosted the inaugural US–Philippines AI Summit on June 20 at Stanford University. This milestone gathering brought together leaders from technology, research, and public policy to explore the future of artificial intelligence and chart inclusive pathways for Filipino participation in the AI revolution.
The Summit drew 300+ participants, with more than half attending in person at Stanford’s Bishop Auditorium and the rest via webinar. Participants ranged from students and young professionals to founders and leaders across Filipino and global tech communities.
“The Philippines shouldn’t just be consumers of technology, we should be creating it,” said Olivia de Jesus, PhilDev Executive Director. “This summit reflects our renewed mission to help Filipinos thrive as STEM builders and leaders, not only in the Philippines, but on the global stage.”
Featured speakers included Sheila Lirio Marcelo (care.com and ohai.ai), Rey Banatao (Google X), and Raiza Martin (Huxe and formerly Google Labs), alongside eight fellows selected for the Philippine Artificial Intelligence Retreat (PAIR). They discussed AI ethics, data equity, frontier tech development, and how Filipinos can lead in building responsible, values-driven AI tools.
“You can’t hold both risk and the dream—you must choose,” said Raiza Martin. “If you go for the dream, you’ll be surprised at the rate at which you can succeed. Even if it feels scary, the dream is worth it.”
Cris Liban, PhilDev Board Chair, closed the Summit, emphasizing the Filipino brand: “The Filipino brand is resilience, compassion, and community. When we build, we carry with us our culture, our spirit of bayanihan, and our deep sense of kapwa. If we embed these values into the AI we create, we don’t just build technology—we make a difference.”
PhilDev’s partnership with PAIR signals a bold new chapter in its 15-year legacy of championing Filipinos in science, technology, engineering, and entrepreneurship.
To learn more about PhilDev’s work or get involved, visit www.phildev.org.
