THE House of Representatives should prioritize a bill creating a regulatory body over the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country to promote its responsible use, a congressman said on Sunday.
“Almost every country in the world is already implementing national policies or laws as knowledge about AI continues to advance,” Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers said in a statement in Filipino. “We should not fall behind in these areas, as this will have a significant impact on our society, particularly in education, business, and the economy.”
The chamber should take up House Bill No. 7396, which he filed in 2023, so the Philippine government could maximize its benefits while mitigating possible drawbacks, he said.
“While Filipinos recognize the importance of AI in the development of the country, the rapid phase of technological advancement in AI also poses risks and challenges that must be addressed to ensure that its benefits are maximized, and its negative impacts are minimized, if not avoided,” he said.
The bill proposes a “comprehensive framework” for AI management, mandating fair and transparent development of AI tools in the country while including provisions protecting personal data used in machine learning, according to Mr. Barbers.
The AI body would also act as a “watchdog” to guard and penalize the unscrupulous use of AI, he added. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
