UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment Report: Anchoring Ethics in AI
UNESCO, in collaboration with the Philippines’ government, has completed the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology, marking a significant step in the Philippines’ ethical AI governance journey. This milestone report is expected to complement the country’s ongoing development of the National AI Strategy for the Philippines and other initiatives to ensure responsible AI governance.
From September 2024, policy consultation workshops were conducted across the three major island groups of the Philippines—Luzon (Manila), Visayas (Cebu), and Mindanao (Davao). These workshops brought together professionals from various sectors to evaluate the country’s AI landscape across five dimensions:
- Legal/Regulatory
- Socio-Cultural
- Economy
- Scientific and Educational
- Technical/Infrastructural
This culminated in the development of the AI Readiness Assessment Report.
The Importance of Ethics in AI
It is critical for ethics to be the foundation of AI governance. This foundation allows technology to remain connected to humanity and enables knowledge to act as a force for inclusion and sustainable development. UNESCO deeply values the dedication of our national partners, laying the path forward for a transformative and inclusive AI ecosystem.
Key Insights from the Report
As the Philippines moves forward on its AI journey, the report serves as both a roadmap and a call to action for all sectors to collaborate in shaping an ethical and inclusive AI ecosystem. The key findings and recommendations offer a comprehensive look at where the Philippines stands in its AI readiness and what steps need to be taken to ensure that AI benefits all citizens.
Key Findings: Philippines’ AI Landscape
The report identified several crucial areas for the Philippines’ AI readiness:
- Regulatory Framework and AI Governance: There is a need for a dedicated lead agency to consolidate national AI governance efforts. Existing regulations, like the Data Privacy Act of 2020 and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, should be leveraged to bridge regulatory gaps in data protection, cybersecurity, and cross-border data flow.
- Socio-Cultural Impact: Lack of affordable, reliable, and accessible broadband internet hinders efforts to effectively raise digital competency. Progress has been made in narrowing gender disparity and growing awareness of AI ethics in various sectors, but public trust in AI technologies remains mixed.
- Economic, Scientific, and Research: The national AI market size is projected to reach US$3.487 billion by 2030. While private sector AI adoption is strong, driven by optimistic views on productivity gains, the Philippines needs to improve its domestic innovation capacity to sustain growth and remain competitive globally.
Key Policy Recommendations
The report outlines several key policy recommendations:
- Embedding Ethics in AI Policy: Further academic and policy research is needed to investigate ‘ethics’ in the Philippine context. Ethical standards must be interpreted through historical, sociological, and anthropological lenses to ensure fit-for-purpose regulatory standards.
- Increase Funding for Capacity Building: Establishing a National AI Research Fund under the purview of the DOST-PCIEERD could provide dedicated support for local AI research and innovation across critical sectors like IT-BPO, agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics.
Conclusion
The UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment Report serves as a guiding document for the Philippines as it navigates the complexities of ethical AI governance. By fostering collaboration and embedding ethics at the core of AI initiatives, the country can harness the transformative potential of AI technologies to benefit all its citizens.
