MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is studying how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used for defense, particularly in the online space. This is amid the rise of cyber threat incidents against the Philippine military.

At the GRC Conclave cybersecurity forum in Makati, AFP Spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said they are reviewing how they can utilize new technologies like AI. She said they are already using AI for simple tasks, mentioning ChatGPT.

“Ang artificial intelligence kasi the possibilities are endless. AI is machine learning. Ginagamit yan even in healthcare, ginagamit even in defense. Kailangan makita natin paano natin magagamit to our advantage,” she said.

She mentioned that AI can help in cybersecurity like preventing human trafficking and child trafficking by detecting a combination of keywords in the online space. She added that cyber attacks against the AFP itself are also growing.

“We really deal with thousands of attacks on a daily basis. Kung titingnan niyo, ang armed forces talaga is really one of the targets for cyber attacks. What is important to note is we have the capability to detect, and not just detect, but also to deter these attacks,” she added.

Padilla also said together with other government agencies, they are beefing up cybersecurity, especially with the upcoming Halalan 2025. She said AFP is no longer just concentrated on traditional areas, but also online.

“Nakita natin that cyber is now another avenue, it’s another domain of operations for the Armed Forces of the Philippines along with the land, air, and sea,” she said.

Padilla urged cyber experts who joined the forum to help the government in preventing cyber-attacks and other cyber threats by not spreading fake news online and in helping various agencies in terms of cyber security.

In 2023, the Department of Defense urged all military not to use AI-generated photo apps due to security reasons. This was after AI photo apps grew in popularity with various sectors questioning the security of the apps.