BUSAN, South Korea – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippine government must adopt artificial intelligence (AI) only after conducting a thorough study and fully understanding its capabilities and suitability for government use.

“It’s not yet clear. What AI do you use for government? And I’m sure each department has a slightly different AI. And we have to learn. Hindi pa natin alam eh,” Marcos said in a media interview at Signiel Busan Hotel when asked about AI.

“We have to talk to the experts. We have… not only Filipinos, we have to talk to everybody, the whole world,” he added.

The President said experts must determine what AI is capable of, what it excels at, and how it can be effectively utilized in government operations. He added that think tanks should also share their insights on where AI is headed and how the Philippines can benefit from adopting it.

“Paano natin gagamitin para tulungan ‘yung Pilipinas? Para tulungan ‘yung ibang bansa? Para tulungan ‘yung ASEAN? People have to go to the people who are thinking about those issues so they can tell us what their conclusions are,” Marcos said.

“We can agree or not agree, but at least we have an idea of how the thinking is going and a better idea of the technology so that we know where it is headed and where are the dangerous areas that we need to watch out for,” he added.

Despite the need for caution, Marcos emphasized the importance of adopting AI as soon as possible to avoid missing opportunities, citing the rapid evolution of technology.

He noted that AI was a key topic during the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, where participants discussed its potential benefits and applications for member economies.

Twenty-one APEC member economies gathered in South Korea under the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper,” with the Republic of Korea serving as the host. The APEC 2025 Summit was held at the Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) from October 31 to November 1.