Quezon City's first district Congressman Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde said the presence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be used to empower the productivity of Filipino workers all over the country — and not to replace them.

“Artificial intelligence (AI) should be used to enhance the productivity of workers—not replace them,” Atayde, the author of the House Bill No. 9488 or the “Protection of Labor Against AI Automation Act,” explained.

Atayde explained that AI "has the capacity to greatly enhance productivity and efficiency, thus ushering a new era marked by increased employment opportunities."

But the measure, he stressed, addresses fears that the use of Al will result in job losses.

"However, many fear that this technology poses threats to our labor force, as there are valid concerns that the use of Al will result in the displacement of human workers."

Under Section 5 of the proposed law, "the use of Al and automation technologies to replace human workers resulting in displacement, loss of security of tenure, diminution of existing salaries, or benefits or unemployment is hereby prohibited unless an equivalent alternative employment opportunity for affected human workers are made available."

The measure further prohibits employers from using AI exclusively to hire, assess, and terminate employees.

Under the bill, "any use of Al or automated system during the said processes shall be directly supervised and complemented by human oversight."

While the bill seeks to prevent job losses as a result of the adoption of AI, Section 7 allows for the use of AI in industries or positions "where AI and automation technologies are deemed necessary for safety, efficiency, or the overall benefit of society" so long as appropriate measures are adopted to mitigate job displacement.

AI refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence. Al algorithms are designed to develop expert systems capable of making predictions or classifications using input data.

According to Atayde, a recent trip to the United States exposed him to the issues raised by Hollywood writers and artists who were concerned that the use of AI in the US film industry would result in job losses and reduced wages. 

In September 2023, the Writers Guild of America ended their strike after it secured stringent guidelines for the use of AI in Hollywood.