Lawmaker files bill to regulate AI 

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Surigao Del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers filed House Bill No. 7396 to support the country’s development and regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). 

According to Barbers, the bill will foster an environment promoting the ethical and responsible development of AI while ensuring it is aligned with the values and interests of the public.  

House Bill No. 7396 also seeks to establish an Artificial Intelligence Development Authority (AIDA) to oversee AI technology research, development, and deployment in the Philippines.

“While the Philippines recognizes 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,” Barbers said in the bill’s explanatory note.  

AIDA will be tasked to conduct risk assessments and impact analyses to ensure AI technologies comply with ethical guidelines and protect the rights and welfare of individuals.  

It must also develop data security and cybersecurity standards for AI systems for protection against cyber-attacks and hacking.