VIA GRAPHIC PLUS — Natural resources development company Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) trained its employees in the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) through Project Apex: AI Champions Bootcamp. It was held from October 13 to 16, 2026, at NAC Tower in Taguig City.
Project Apex aims to equip its entire workforce with AI skills to keep pace with technological advancements while reinforcing the value of human expertise. The training program included hands-on sessions to support research, analysis, drafting, information management, knowledge discovery, automation, and other everyday work activities.
It emphasized that AI may enhance employees’ capabilities, but there is no replacement for the human judgement, creativity, and accountability they provide.
“AI should be our copilot, not our autopilot. Its value lies in helping us see more, understand faster, and make better-informed decisions. It can amplify human intelligence by surfacing insights we may not easily see on our own—but there must always be a human in the loop to review, challenge, and apply judgment before acting on its output,” said Vice President for Technology Management and Transformation Jojo Calpito.
Building on the AI training provided to NAC’s executives and officers earlier this year, the session expands the initiative to all employees as part of an ongoing series to enhance workforce AI skills.
NAC President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Antonio G. Zamora challenged the attendees to demonstrate how they could use AI to develop practical solutions. In response, participants proposed applications across OneNAC’s businesses and functions, including predictive maintenance and equipment-health monitoring, predictive budgeting, risk and control monitoring, invoice reconciliation, shipment readiness, environmental transparency, drilling optimization, and technical knowledge management.
Participants also examined the problems they wanted to solve, the people and processes involved, and the potential benefits and risks of their proposed solutions.
“The success of Project Apex will not be measured by how much AI we use, but by how much it helps our people become better at what they do—think more clearly, decide with confidence, and create greater value. The future is Human and AI with technology amplifying human potential, while judgment, common sense, empathy, and accountability remain deeply human,” said Calpito.
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