Photo taken by Alex Villafania

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is planning to incorporate research into artificial intelligence (AI) in its 2017-2022 development agenda in an effort to ramp up the country’s science and technology research programs.

DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said during the recent National Research and Development Conference that they intend to incorporate AI into the Philippine Development Plan called “Ambisyon Natin 2040.”

The initial focus of AI would be for manufacturing industries to optimize mass production of goods in the country.

“Now we would like to pursue new areas, not necessarily new in the global sense but as far as local research and development is concerned and that is in the field of artificial intelligence and space technology,” said De la Peña.

De la Peña said the he has been interested in AI since the 1980s when he wrote an article on the future of AI.

Meanwhile, the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development Deputy Executive Director Raul Sabularse said that DOST is in discussions with several research & development institutions in pursuing an AI program.

Sabularse said that they are also in discussions with Filipino-American technology entrepreneur Diosdado Banatao in relation to their AI plans.

“We are in the process of consulting experts and stakeholders to form a development program on artificial intelligence. This is something not totally new but it is a promising field for our researchers with applications in the industry,” explained Sabularse.

Artificial intelligence is primarily machines exhibiting some form of intelligence and basic learning. These machines can be physical, such as robots, but the core of AI is software having new learning and applying it to specific tasks or functions.

Research into artificial intelligence in the Philippines has been mostly fostered by universities. The De La Salle University, the University of the Philippines, Ateneo De Manila University, and the Mapua Institute of Technology are among the few schools that offer courses on AI or are doing R&D.