From solving customer inquiries to helping us choose our “next buy,” AI chatbots have clearly taken up space in business operations. We encounter businesses’ bots on Facebook and on shopping apps like Lazada, and don’t notice at all. That’s where the problem comes in.
Everyday, these tools multiply everywhere in the world. In the Philippines, we are still playing catch-up.Today, our problem is no longer the lack for innovation but the lack of visibility. We no longer know how fast we are progressing with this technology.
For this topic, we had the chance to interview David Irecki, Boomi’s Chief Technology Officer for Asia Pacific and Japan.
“A key challenge with AI is the lack of visibility into how AI agents operate, whether they act ethically and securely, and if they produce accurate results,” Irecki told PhilSTAR Tech.
For organizations looking to scale responsibly, centralizing AI governance and managing the full lifecycle of these agents is no longer optional. It’s mission-critical.
How did we get here?
Let’s dial back a bit, and see how we have reached this point of problem.
Irecki gave a quick retelling of the AI in businesses, starting in 2023 where the critical challenge was the need for good data.
Many projects struggled because the AI tools didn’t have enough high-quality data to work with. On top of that, concerns around privacy, bias, and those infamous “AI hallucinations” (when the system just makes things up) made companies realize they weren’t as ready as they thought.
But in 2024, companies have started to create strategies for how AI should be ethically and responsibly. AI was seen less of a shiny, new toy but more of a tool that needs proper direction.
In the same year, we saw the European Union pass its AI act, which was the first, major regulation of its kind. Here in the Philippines, the government updated its National AI Strategy Roadmap 2.0 and launched the Center for AI Research (CAIR) to help turn the country into an AI innovation hub.
But even with these efforts, many local businesses are still just beginning to understand what responsible AI really looks like in practice.
Today, in 2025, the emergence of AI agents has shifted the focus on management and control.
“Organizations are now ready to lay the right foundations to benefit from practical AI applications that align with strategic business objectives to drive results,” He said.
‘AI governance provides observability’
Boomi’s CTO for APJ explained that businesses risk creating disconnected AI systems, inefficiencies, and regulatory issues without a centralized solution for AI agents.
“They might not realize that Bob in HR is using an AI agent or that Sally in finance is leveraging AI tools,” Irecki said.
“Having an AI governance solution that provides observability across the organization will help businesses understand what AI is being used, how it’s being used, and what the returns are.”
This lack of oversight isn’t just a theoretical risk. It’s already playing out in real-world scenarios.
According to a recent study by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), organizations without clear governance were more likely to face operational risks due to unchecked use of AI tools across departments.
The study found that the unchecked spread of AI tools, or what we call “AI Sprawl,” can cause inefficiencies and even lead to breaking rules. These problems are harder to catch without a system that keeps track of everything in one place.
For Irecki, AI governance doesn’t hold back innovation. Rather, it helps businesses to use it wisely. With a clear system in place, companies can spot overlaps, avoid doing the same work twice, and see if their AI tools are really making a difference.
Moreover, Boomi has its own AI management solution, which is currently in its early access stage. It is expected to open to the general public on the second quarter of 2025.
“Organizations can benefit from full AI agent lifecycle management to ensure seamless integration, governance, and control across the organization,” He said.
