PH shows strong foundation for responsible AI despite 68th global rank

• IN PHOTO: 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI

The Philippines posted its strongest performance in enabling conditions, scoring 54.41 out of 100 in the 2026 Global Index on Responsible AI, even as the country placed 68th among 135 countries and jurisdictions overall.

The score points to a relatively strong foundation for responsible AI development in the country, although significant gaps remain in translating these conditions into stronger safeguards, skills and inclusion.

The Philippines scored 37.39 in trust and safety, followed by 33.74 in ethics and sustainability and 33.65 in AI in public service.

Lower scores were recorded in labor and skills at 30.69 and inclusion and diversity at 29.41, highlighting areas where the country still needs to strengthen workforce preparedness and ensure that the benefits and protections surrounding AI reach more Filipinos.

The country received an overall GIRAI score of 32.98 out of 100.

The Global Index on Responsible AI looks beyond technological capability or how quickly a country adopts artificial intelligence. It measures whether governments and institutions have the policies, safeguards and broader conditions needed for AI to be developed and used responsibly.

The Philippines’ enabling conditions score stands out from its other results. The category looks at the environment that allows responsible AI to take root, including institutional capacity, infrastructure and other foundations that support AI governance and development.

But the wide gap between the country’s enabling conditions score and its performance in labor, skills and inclusion also shows that having the foundation does not automatically translate into responsible AI outcomes.

As artificial intelligence becomes more widely used across government, business and everyday digital services, the challenge for the Philippines will be turning these enabling conditions into stronger governance, better safeguards and an AI-ready workforce.

The GIRAI results suggest that the Philippines has some of the building blocks in place. The next challenge is making sure those foundations translate into AI that is secure, accountable and inclusive.