President Marcos approved the National AI Strategy for the Philippines (NAIS-PH) during a Sectoral Meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday.

The President emphasized the need to determine the best use of AI technology for the country’s needs, given the fast-evolving technology that enables machines to simulate human abilities.

President Marcos also stressed the need to maximize AI technology’s benefits while carefully avoiding or mitigating its potential risks.

Last March, President Marcos tasked the DOST to lead the think tank that would study all aspects of AI.

Following the President’s directive, the DOST developed the NAI-PH, in consultation with experts, government agencies, the private sector, and the academe.

It outlines the country’s AI Program Framework, implementation strategies, and roles of relevant agencies, and focuses on five key areas: infrastructure, workforce, innovation, data governance and policy, and AI deployment.

It also envisions that by 2028, AI will power inclusive innovation, strengthen governance, uplift communities, and drive globally competitive industries in the country.

The Philippines improved to 56th place (from 65th in 2023) out of 188 countries in the  Government AI Readiness Index 2024 published by Oxford Insights.

The AI Readiness Index measures the countries’ readiness to integrate AI into public services. It is based on indicators under three core pillars: government, technology sector, and data and infrastructure. | PND