Philippines gears up to lead AI innovations, says DOST

by Edg Adrian A. Eva, Reporter

The Philippines is preparing to be one of the leaders in Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovations, with various research and development initiatives underway, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

In 2024, the Philippines climbed nine spots in the Government AI Readiness Index , ranking 56th from 65th in 2023, according to Oxford Insights. The country scored 58.51 out of 100, significantly above the global average of 47.59.

The index primarily assesses the government’s readiness to implement AI in delivering public services.

Dr. Franz A. De Leon, Director of the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI), said the country’s improved ranking in the index underscores its commitment to advancing AI innovations that can drive societal and economic progress.

“Building on this momentum, DOST is driving AI innovation through strategic investments in research, infrastructure, and real-world, impactful applications of these transformative initiatives,” Mr. De Leon said during DOST’s Elev8 launch event on Wednesday.

One of the AI initiatives supported by DOST is the Advancing Computing Analytics, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence in the Philippines (ACABAI-PH).

This program aims to make AI more accessible to various stakeholders, allowing them to utilize AI solutions without requiring extensive technical expertise.

Mr. De Leon said that ACABAI PH can address issues like supply chain inefficiencies and improve disaster response.

“To realize this vision, ACABAI PH is building an AI virtual hub—an AI-as-a-service ecosystem—offering accessible AI tools that businesses, researchers, and even communities can now use to implement AI solutions without needing extensive technical expertise,” Mr. De Leon furthered.

The AI virtual hub will be developed not just in Manila, but also throughout the country, Mr. De Leon added.

Meanwhile, various AI R&D and investments activities are also being supported by DOST.

This includes initiatives like the Computing and Archiving Research Environment (COARE), which provides researchers with high-performance computing, data storage, and analytics capabilities.

Other projects, such as ASIMOV-HAWK, an AI solution for addressing agricultural challenges like detecting diseases on crops, and ASTI-Alam, an online repository offering free pre-trained AI models for sectors like agriculture, disaster management, and urban planning.

DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. told BusinessWorld that the DOST is also supporting other AI initiatives aimed at helping micro, small, and medium enterprises, like Packworks.

The DOST is also supporting the development of “iTANONG,” a Filipino version of ChatGPT, which allows users to ask questions in Filipino, English, and Taglish (a combination of Tagalog and English).

“We are already developing it, so we are not starting from scratch. We are making AI more accessible so that more people can actually use it,” Mr. Solidum said.