AI may worsen Philippines digital divide – experts

MANILA, Philippines — Artificial intelligence (AI) could worsen the digital divide in the Philippines unless the government acts fast to strengthen data systems, expand digital connectivity and implement safeguards, experts warned.

Philippine Institute for Development Studies president Philip Arnold Tuaño described AI as both a powerful tool and a looming threat.

“AI is now an enabler of connections, a driver of knowledge creation and a catalyst for adaptation in nearly every field,” Tuaño said.

He added that without better infrastructure, skills and governance, its benefits will remain concentrated in the hands of a few.

For his part, Christopher Lamont of Tokyo International University said that the government must view AI as a governance challenge, not merely a technical one.

“The real test of AI is not just whether it spurs growth, but whether it safeguards citizens,” Lamont said.

World Bank senior digital development specialist Naoto Kanehira noted that fragmented and unreliable datasets hinder the country’s capacity to utilize AI effectively.

“Data is often inaccurate, incomplete, not sharable or even not machine-readable,” he said, adding that without reliable data, AI cannot deliver smarter, faster public services.

“Yet, even if data systems are in place, millions of Filipinos still cannot benefit because they remain offline or lack the skills to navigate digital tools,” Kanehira said.

Information and communications technology policy analyst Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos emphasized that without urgent investments in broadband and digital literacy, AI will empower those already connected while excluding those still left behind.