Bridging AI gap for equitable growth

The recent call of the Senate Committee on Public Services for the responsible and beneficial use of artificial intelligence (AI) comes at a pivotal time for the Philippines. As the global AI revolution accelerates, Sen. Grace Poe's message underscores a crucial national challenge: how to harness AI not merely as a tool of progress for the few, but as a lever of inclusive and equitable growth for the many.

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The possibilities for growth that are opened up by AI are clear and unmistakable. AI can automate routine tasks, improve public services, forecast natural disasters, enhance healthcare diagnostics, and revolutionize education. Yet, as our national leaders have realized, the potential of AI will remain unevenly distributed—and even exacerbate inequalities—if we do not address the stark realities of the Philippines' digital divide.

Despite high mobile phone ownership and social media usage, large swaths of the population continue to suffer from unreliable or non-existent internet connectivity. According to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), many rural barangays still lack access to high-speed broadband. For AI to benefit Filipino farmers through climate-smart agriculture apps, or help students learn via intelligent tutoring systems, these tools must first be reachable. This is where the gap lies.