Senator Proposes Bill to Regulate Artificial Intelligence
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Pia Cayetano has introduced a bill aiming to regulate the development and use of Artificial Intelligence. The legislation focuses on promoting ethical and responsible innovation as the country accelerates its digital transformation.
“As the Philippines continues its digital transformation journey, there is an urgent need for a national framework that ensures the safe, responsible, and ethical use of AI, aligned with our vision of an inclusive, innovative, and secure digital future,” the senator said in the explanatory note of her bill.
Balancing Innovation with Ethical Use
The proposed measure also incorporates sustainability and futures thinking into national policymaking. Cayetano emphasized that while AI offers tremendous economic and societal benefits, it requires a strong legal framework to guide its ethical deployment.
She highlighted AI’s potential to improve public services, enhance disaster resilience, modernize agriculture, and upgrade education and healthcare systems. Yet, she cautioned that these advances come with inherent risks.
“AI systems rely on data and models that may be incomplete, biased, or manipulated, reflecting the subjective or commercial choices of developers. These raise concerns such as algorithmic bias, discrimination, and AI hallucinations, where systems generate false or misleading outputs with confidence,” the senator explained.
Addressing Global AI Risks
Cayetano also pointed out that international scientific and policy circles have expressed concern over the emergence of Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) — AI systems that could surpass human intelligence and potentially operate beyond human control.
She warned that without proper safeguards, these advanced systems might gain unauthorized access to critical infrastructure, including military resources like nuclear weapons, posing existential threats to humanity.
Ensuring Safe and Transparent AI Systems
To address these challenges, the bill seeks to strike a balance between encouraging technological progress and ensuring AI systems remain safe, ethical, transparent, and under meaningful human oversight.
“Given that AI is still in its early stages, this bill provides a general framework to encourage its development in a responsible and lawful manner. It envisions a future where AI supports Filipino ingenuity, addresses national development challenges, and protects the rights and welfare of every citizen,” she said.
“The State bears the responsibility to ensure that AI will never be used to perpetrate crimes, abuse rights, cause harm or unintended consequences, whether through intent or accident, while supporting Filipino ingenuity and technological progress,” she added.
Penalties for Violations
The bill outlines strict penalties for violations. Entities that develop or deploy unregistered AI systems could face revocation of business permits or licenses and be blacklisted from government procurement and AI development grants.
Fines may range from ₱500,000 to ₱5,000,000, and offenders could face imprisonment from six months to several years, depending on the court’s discretion.
Individuals who intentionally use AI to commit fraud, conceal crimes, or harm life, liberty, property, or national security face harsher penalties — fines between ₱2,000,000 and ₱10,000,000, imprisonment from six to 12 years, or both.
If the offense results in death, physical injury, or significant financial or reputational damage, the maximum penalties apply.
Moreover, using AI to spread disinformation, manipulate public opinion (such as via bots or deepfakes), or conduct unauthorized surveillance can lead to fines from ₱1,000,000 to ₱5,000,000, imprisonment from three to 10 years, or both.
Additional penalties apply if these acts occur during elections, public emergencies, or violate constitutional rights.
“In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought,” Cayetano concluded.
For more news and updates on Artificial Intelligence regulation, visit Filipinokami.com.