Lalamove Survey: 62% of Filipino MSMEs Plan to Keep Using AI in 2027, as Demand for Urgent Same-Day Delivery Grows

Cost control and faster delivery emerge as priorities for MSMEs heading into 2027 

OCTOBER 2026, MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Lalamove, the leading on-demand delivery platform, has announced findings from its latest MSME survey across its operating markets. The survey reveals how small businesses are adopting digital tools to keep pace with faster operational demands. Of the more than 1,100 business users surveyed in the Philippines in September, 62.4% said they plan to continue using AI for their business in 2027. When asked how AI has changed the pace at which their business needs to operate compared with last year, 14.8% of all respondents said much faster, and 26.6% said slightly faster.

Optimistic about 2027, but watching costs

Optimism was the most common outlook among Filipino MSMEs for 2027. When asked about business prospects in the Philippines, 35.8% were optimistic, and 22.5% were cautious. Another 16.2% were uncertain, 13.5% saw no change, and 12% were pessimistic. So more owners are hopeful than worried about 2027, and 80.1% expect their own delivery demand to stay similar to this year.

Costs are the main concern. 52% expect transport and logistics costs to stay roughly the same compared with last year, and 36.1% expect them to rise. High logistics costs were the most cited obstacle to growth over the next 12 months (42.2%), followed by interest rate hikes and inflation (39.5%) and low consumer spending (38.2%). Customer expectations are climbing too: 23.7% said expectations for delivery and response speed are slightly higher than last year, and 14.5% said much higher. For many businesses, that makes speed and cost control the two things to get right in 2027.

AI use is mixed, and delivery needs are changing

Not everyone is on board yet: 37.6% do not plan to keep using AI in 2027. Among all respondents, the most common uses were creative work (29.5%), marketing (27.8%) and research (24.3%), followed by business operations (18.4%).

Delivery needs are changing too. Compared with last year, respondents said their need had increased for:

• Urgent same-day deliveries: 58.8%, by a wide margin, the most common answer.

• After-hours deliveries: 23.4%, for moving goods outside standard business hours.

• Multi-stop deliveries: 21.2%, for hitting several drop-off points in one trip.

As more MSMEs speed up, deliveries that cannot wait are becoming a normal part of everyday operations.

How Lalamove Supports MSMEs

Lalamove lets businesses book deliveries only when they need them. When it is busy, they can book more, and when it is slow, they can book fewer, so delivery costs follow their orders instead of being a fixed expense every month. That matters when 52% expect logistics costs to stay roughly the same and 36.1% expect them to rise, because it makes spending easier to plan.

"Business owners are telling us they want to move faster and keep costs under control," said Djon Nacario, Managing Director, Lalamove Philippines. "With more of them needing urgent same-day and after-hours deliveries, we want Lalamove to be the flexible option they can call on whenever demand picks up, without taking on a fixed delivery operation of their own."

The survey shows that Filipino MSMEs are preparing for 2027 with a practical, cost-conscious mindset. Many say AI is already helping them move faster, and delivery has to keep up. Lalamove will continue to offer flexible, on-demand logistics that helps businesses meet changing delivery needs while keeping costs under control.