QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has released a comprehensive national framework to regulate the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in Philippine colleges and universities, spanning classroom instruction, research projects, and administrative functions.
Issued under CHED Memorandum Order No. 21, series of 2026, the directive outlines standardized benchmarks while granting higher education institutions (HEIs) the flexibility to tailor their internal policies according to their resources, academic offerings, and readiness.
The agency stressed that technology must support rather than supersede human judgment.
“AI must augment human intelligence, not replace it, and shall be deployed in ways that respect and protect human dignity, welfare, rights, and well-being. AI should enhance learning outcomes, improve research productivity, and support institutional efficiency,” the memorandum read.
Under the new directives for teaching and learning, educators are tasked with training students to critically evaluate AI tools rather than relying on them blindly.
“Faculty should deliberately reinforce analytical reasoning, complex problem solving, ethical discernment, and research rigor. Students must learn not only how to use AI tools, but how to question them, validate outputs, recognize bias, and understand limitations,” the memorandum stated.
The policy mandates that students disclose any AI assistance in their academic coursework, with individual institutions tasked with defining the submission procedures.
“Disclosure shall be required, but the design of disclosure rules and processes shall be defined by the HEI through institutional policy,” the memo read.
Key aspects of the newly issued framework include:
- Academic Integrity and AI Detectors: AI usage is permitted when relevant to specific coursework. While institutions may utilize AI detection software to investigate potential cheating, these tools cannot serve as the sole proof of an academic infraction, and full due process must be guaranteed.
- Research Transparency: AI assistance in dissertations and theses must be fully declared under institutional protocols, though researchers remain fully accountable for their final submissions. CHED also urged colleges to build dedicated AI research facilities and foster industry partnerships.
- Prohibition on Automated Decision-Making: High-stakes processes—including student grading, entrance admissions, scholarship evaluations, faculty assessments, and exam proctoring—cannot be entirely automated by AI algorithms.
- Data Privacy Protection: Schools must enforce measures to secure sensitive institutional and student information, strictly prohibiting the uploading of confidential data to public AI platforms.
Addressing high-stakes administrative decisions, the policy emphasized the necessity of human oversight:
“No AI system should autonomously determine academic outcomes without meaningful human review. Faculty and administrators must be trained in responsible AI use and data governance. Safeguards are not obstacles to innovation—they are essential to maintaining public trust,” the memorandum stated.
Regarding data protection, the document instructed:
“Institutions must protect student data, research materials, and institutional information. Confidential or sensitive materials must not be uploaded to unsecure public AI platforms,” it read.
Signed on July 21, 2026, the order grants colleges and universities a standard 12-month window to implement the framework, with possible extensions up to 24 months based on institutional readiness.