CHED establishes guidelines for human-centered AI use in higher education

To ensure a responsible and human-centered use of artificial intelligence (AI), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Tuesday said it has established a national guideline to be implemented across higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines.

The framework, under CHED Memorandum Order No. 21, series of 2026, is still in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen AI skills and its responsible use amid emerging global technologies.

In a statement, the commission said Philippine higher education institutions have the flexibility to use AI based on their local needs, provided it strengthens rather than replaces human thinking.

“The policy enables the use of AI in teaching, learning, research, and institutional operations while setting safeguards for academic integrity, human judgment, data privacy, and student welfare,” the CHED said.

“Rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach, it gives HEIs and faculty the flexibility to determine how AI can best support learning and institutional needs within their own contexts.”

First on its national guiding principles is the necessity of AI use to be human-centered, with its target impact aimed at expanding opportunities not deepening inequality in higher education.

“Human judgement, creativity, academic freedom, and ethical responsibility must remain central. AI must never substitute for intellectual rigor or diminish the role of faculty in guiding learning,” Principle 1, Section 4 reads.

Course syllabi must also determine when AI use is appropriate or restricted, alongside usage transparency, to reinforce problem-solving and critical thinking among students.

“Students must learn how to think before they learn how to prompt,” the CHED said.

The order also requires structured governance for responsible AI use to protect data and safeguard HEIs against unsecured public platforms.

This means there must be clear standards for “data handling, cybersecurity, and vendor compliance,” alongside minimal- to high-impact level assessments of AI systems deployed in Philippine HEIs.

“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,” Principle 3, Section 4 reads.

This requires stronger human oversight when used in grading, admissions, scholarships, student progression, and faculty evaluation.

Besides these, HEIs nationwide are also instructed to prepare for AI-driven jobs, integrate interdisciplinary AI competencies, advance AI research in alignment with national priorities, and ensure coordination between the academe, industries, and the government.