Supreme Court’s Ruling on Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) has a place in
the courts: beside the judge to assist, but never on the bench to decide cases. But for now, only 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘹, or the voice-to-text transcription, is the allowed AI app. Others will need the approval of the #SupremeCourtPH (SC) 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤.

This was the key message of SC Senior Associate Justice (SAJ) Marvic M.V.F. Leonen during the briefing “Digitalization & Artificial Intelligence in the Courts of Justice” held on July 1, 2026, at the SC Session Hall in Baguio City. The activity gathered trial court judges, clerks of courts, legal researchers, and court stenographers from across the Cordillera region.

SAJ Leonen’s lecture aimed to guide members of the Judiciary to navigate the rapid development of AI technologies by examining both their proper role and limits within the adjudicative process. The briefing forms part of a wider effort to promote and discuss the “Governance Framework on the Use of Human-Centered Augmented Intelligence in the Judiciary”, which was approved by the SC 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 on February 18, 2026.

The framework supports the goals of the 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 2022-2027, which seeks to modernize court operations and enhance the administration of justice through technology.

SAJ Leonen underscored that a machine may assist in research, in scheduling, drafting, and in analytics, “but it may never adjudicate.”

Turning to digital transformation, he explained that paper-based court processes often result in delays, limited access, and administrative burdens. Digitalized systems, he said, offer meaningful solutions to many of these longstanding challenges.

At the same time, he warned that technology is not without risks. Limited internet connectivity can exclude some court users, while digital systems remain vulnerable to tampering and cyberattacks.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=168735