The government will formally launch a national center for artificial intelligence (AI) on Feb. 26, providing the National AI Strategy with a dedicated implementing arm for the first time.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will roll out the National Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Innovation (NAICRI), a permanent institution that will house key AI research programs and advanced computing platforms developed over the past decade.
For years, government-backed AI systems supporting pandemic surveillance, climate modeling, hazard-mapping and agricultural research were developed through initiatives across agencies.
NAICRI brings these efforts under one center anchored at the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI).
The center will serve as the institutional backbone of the country’s AI roadmap, which outlines plans to build local talent, strengthen research, expand computing infrastructure and promote responsible AI adoption across sectors.
Among the core facilities under NAICRI is COARE, the country’s national supercomputing facility.
Demand for high-performance computing has risen in recent years as more agencies adopt AI-driven tools.
Also integrated into the center is the Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network (PREGINET), the country’s dedicated research and education network that links universities and government institutions to global research systems.
Also, included in the center are The Nexus for AI Research and Application (NAIRA), an AI-as-a-service platform providing shared access to computing resources and AI tools; the Democratized Intelligent Model Exchange Repository (DIMER), a repository of locally developed AI models; and iTANONG, a natural language interface that allows users to search organizational data, including in Filipino.
NAICRI places the Philippines alongside other Southeast Asian countries that are strengthening their national AI programs.
