Supreme Court (SC) senior associate justice Marvic Leonen said the Philippine judiciary is cautiously adopting artificial intelligence tools as part of its ongoing digital transformation, while warning about the risks of overdependence on the technology.
Speaking at the GOVX.0 Philippines 2026 summit held May 5 to 6 at the Manila Marriott Hotel in Pasay City, Leonen discussed the judiciary’s digital reforms under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027.
The summit gathered officials and stakeholders involved in e-governance, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, interoperability, artificial intelligence, and public sector modernization.
Leonen said digitalization has become essential for the courts to meet public demand for faster, more transparent, and responsive services.
He said the SC is exploring the use of what it calls “human-centered augmented intelligence,” but stressed that AI tools must remain subordinate to human judgment.
“The AI tool can assist with research but must never decide cases,” Leonen said, citing the judiciary’s principle of “human primacy.”
The high court recently adopted a Governance Framework on the Use of Human-Centered Augmented Intelligence in the Judiciary, which sets ethical and management standards for AI use in court operations.
At present, the SC only permits limited AI applications such as Scriptix, a transcription platform, while other tools remain under evaluation.
Leonen also outlined risks associated with AI adoption, including data breaches, misinformation, algorithmic bias, and accountability issues.
He warned against “cognitive offloading,” or excessive reliance on AI systems that could weaken critical thinking and empathy among judges.
“For the Judiciary, if judges depend too much on AI, they may lose the ability to think deeply and show empathy — qualities that are essential in delivering justice,” he said.
Leonen added that AI systems used by the courts must be explainable, regularly reviewed for bias, and accessible to all users regardless of economic status.
In closing, he said technology should “strengthen, not replace, the human aspect of justice” and that digital reforms must remain anchored on ethical conduct and public service.
Other officials who attended the summit included DICT secretary Henry Aguda, ARTA chief Ernesto V. Perez, and officials from the Department of Budget and Management and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
