Supreme Court chief justice Alexander G. Gesmundo shared the positive results of the pilot implementation of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered voice-to-text transcription tools during the First Regional Convention and Seminar of the Court Stenographers Association of the Philippines (Costraphil) in Luzon on May 22, 2025, at Sigtuna Hall (formerly the Tagaytay International Convention Center) in Tagaytay City, Cavite.
The pilot ran from July 2023 to September 2024 in the Sandiganbayan and in 41 select first- and second-level courts.
Using Scriptix, an AI- driven transcription platform, participating courts reported an average 50% reduction in transcription time, with some achieving up to 80%.
“This led to faster turnaround of court transcripts and allowed personnel to redirect their efforts toward more substantive judicial tasks,” Gesmundo said.
hH also highlighted that the system’s accuracy improved over time, from 70% to as high as 90-95%, especially with continued use by court personnel.
The tool also handled “Taglish,” or a combination of Tagalog and English commonly used in courtrooms, with increasing precision.
Following the successful pilot, the SC said it is now procuring licenses for a full rollout of the AI transcription platform across all levels of the judiciary within the year.
Gesmundo emphasized that court stenographers remain vital to the judiciary’s modernization, even as it transitions to digital proceedings.
He highlighted the SC’s ongoing support for their professional development by advancing stenographic education and partnerships with academic institutions such as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and private organizations like the Costraphil.
Gesmundo assured the stenographers that AI will not replace them; instead, it will enhance and support their work.
“Real-time transcription technologies, AI-driven tools, and digital systems are best viewed as complementary instruments, not replacements, which will enable you to meet the growing demands of our courts while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and reliability.”
“You are, in every sense, the memory of the courtroom, and as the Judiciary evolves, as courts transform, so must you be better equipped, supported, and valued,” the chief justice added.
