Philippines must strengthen AI capabilities
THE PHILIPPINES must focus on strengthening its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities before establishing regulations for the use of the technology, an expert said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 a conversation we should be having because we don鈥檛 have any AI capabilities as a country yet,鈥 Ideaspace Ventures Executive Director Jay Fajardo told 大象传媒 on Monday.
鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 be exerting too much of our energy trying to put together regulatory frameworks for something that doesn鈥檛 exist. It doesn鈥檛 make any sense,鈥 he added.
Mr. Fajardo said the government must prioritize supporting AI practitioners, startups, and technologies.
鈥淟et鈥檚 focus on building our strength in AI first then we can start thinking about ethical use,鈥 he said.
鈥淓verything鈥檚 becoming AI-powered, so it鈥檚 not a question of should we, but can we and when should we do it,鈥 Mr. Fajardo added.
The Philippines has no regulatory framework for the use of AI.
House Bill 7396 filed by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers proposes the creation of a regulatory body called the Artificial Intelligence Development Authority to oversee the development and deployment of AI in the country.
The 2024 Work Trend Index released by Microsoft Corp. and LinkedIn showed that 86% of Filipino knowledge workers use AI at work, higher than the global average of 75%. Despite the demand, only 30% of Filipino AI users receive training on its proper use in a specific role or function, along with prompts. 鈥 A.L.S. Martinez
