KWF defends AI use in preserving indigenous languages, says katutubos won’t be displaced

The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino clarifies its stance on artificial intelligence.

The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) has reaffirmed its support for artificial intelligence as a tool for preserving indigenous languages, saying the technology will not displace katutubos.

“Ang ating mga katutubo, sila ang naghahawak ng mga kultura at wika nila, at ‘yun nga ang pinupuntahan ng [KWF] upang mapaunlad at masaliksik, na siya namang gagamitin ng AI sa posibleng pagsalin at pag-repository,” KWF chairperson Marites Barrios-Taran said in a press briefing attended by radar and other media on July 23.

The clarification comes days after the commission drew public attention for endorsing AI as a “tool” to strengthen Philippine languages. During the Kapihang Wika event on July 15, the KWF said the technology should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a threat, according to ABS-CBN News.

Barrios-Taran urged the public to upload more Filipino-language materials online to help improve AI’s understanding of the language. She also announced that the KWF is part of the Department of Science and Technology’s Pinoy AI project—with the commission contributing around 30 million language tokens to help build a Filipino-language corpus for AI systems.

During the July 23 press briefing, Barrios-Taran said this year’s Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa recognizes AI as a research tool—while stressing that katutubos, not AI, remain the custodians of their culture and language.

The KWF promoted AI as a language repository, saying it could help preserve lesser-known indigenous tongues as rapid urbanization and shifting educational policies continue to threaten their survival.

Various sources estimate that 130 to 195 languages are spoken in the Philippines. In 2022, the University of the Philippines Diliman Department of Linguistics identified 46 endangered and two extinct languages due to the declining number of native speakers.

As an example, the KWF cited Chirin Ivatan, the now-viral open-source online dictionary of the Ivatan language. Its creator Kristelle Adami, who is Ivatan herself, shared that she used AI as a tool in developing the capstone project she completed for her Master’s in Information Studies degree at the UP Open University.

Projects like these, the commission said, underscore the role of indigenous people in AI-powered language tools since the body of knowledge ultimately comes from these groups.

Broader AI concerns

While the KWF has promoted AI for language preservation, broader concerns over the technology continue to grow, particularly over the infrastructure needed to support it.

Many Filipinos have expressed concern over Pax Silica, a United States-led project to construct a global AI supply chain. The project includes an industrial hub and data center in New Clark City in Tarlac.

Amid global reports of rising electricity consumption, declining water quality, and land displacement linked to data center operations, many Filipinos worry that similar consequences could happen locally.

Indigenous rights groups, in particular, have raised concerns after the construction of the 2019 SEA Games stadium in New Clark City allegedly forced out Aeta communities.

Questions have also been raised about AI models being trained on copyrighted works without proper permits and attribution. Filipino intellectual property authorities have extended some special protections to katutubos to help safeguard their traditional knowledge.

Responding to these concerns, the KWF said its endorsement of AI includes responsible usage and respect for katutubos.

“Hindi dapat kinalilimutan ang paggalang, pagrespeto sa intellectual property rights ng mga katutubo, kaya kailangan palaging maging suriin,” Barrios-Taran said. “Ang AI ay isang kasangkapan na maaaring magdala sa ’tin sa moderno at makabagong pamamaraan upang mas mapalakas ang ating pag-aaral ng wikang Filipino at katutubong wika.”

READ: