Digital Solutions representatives Jack Lagare, Eugene Tenorio, and Marinell Quintana attended the “Accelerating Innovation with AI Across Education, Research & Nonprofits” event on August 12, 2026, at the AWS office in Arthaland Pacific Century Tower, BGC, Taguig City. The invited participants gathered to discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, research, and nonprofit organizations.
The participation of Jack Lagare as a panelist was an important highlight, as he shared Digital Solutions’ logical and realistic approach to AI adoption. He emphasized the importance of balance between people, process, and technology, making sure that AI enhances people’s capabilities and provides sustainable value instead of being adopted simply as a technology trend.
Jack Lagare Shares a Practical Perspective on AI
In the panel discussion, Jack highlighted that the three interconnected elements of people, process, and technology should be considered for successful adoption of technological advancements. For AI in particular, he stressed that technology should help people enhance their abilities, not replace their expertise.
He also stressed the importance of sustainability, “AI solutions should solve the needs of today and be relevant in the future with minimal modifications”. For Jack, embracing AI should not be for the sake of hopping on a technology bandwagon. Instead, organizations need to think about how a solution can create meaningful and lasting value.
Starting with Real Needs
“Digital Solutions’ AI proof-of-concept (POC) initiatives start with identifying pain points and bottlenecks in existing work processes.” Jack explained. The team doesn’t just build AI solutions because the technology exists, but where AI is able to deal with real needs and provide real value.
He also stressed the importance of working with potential users, setting up feedback systems, and making sure the right policies are in place as solutions transform from POC to production.
Exploring AI in Research and Education
Jack mentioned areas where artificial intelligence can help with research such as plant breeding and genetics, as well as non-technical jobs. He stressed that organizations should first identify where artificial intelligence can add meaningful value, instead of adopting technology just because it is easy to apply. And where AI initiatives should have a clear value proposition and should not be pursued simply to follow the AI trend.
Looking ahead, Jack sees AI as an important enabler of capacity development, particularly in education, where it can help to bridge learning gaps and inspire students to use technology for learning, discovery and new skills development.
The discussion highlighted Digital Solutions’ perspective on AI: begin with real needs, enable people, enhance processes, and build sustainable value. Digital Solutions will continue to work with technology partners and industry practitioners to explore emerging technologies that can support research, enhance operations and enable meaningful digital transformation.