Experts: AI can help fight corruption—but integrity must lead the way

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a powerful ally in exposing corruption, but without integrity, accountability, and political will, it will never be enough.

This was the central message of experts and former public officials at the 11th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC) organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as part of the 23rd Development Policy Research Month (DPRM).

Plenary Session 3, titled “AI-Augmented Fight Against Corruption,” highlighted both the promise and perils of AI in governance.

Speakers agreed that algorithms may detect patterns of fraud and misuse, but only human integrity and strong institutions can effectively close the loop on accountability.

 

Promise and limits of AI tools

Dr. Jacopo Costa, Senior Specialist at the Basel Institute on Governance, described AI as both a frontier and a warning.

He explained that AI’s real strength lies in processing large volumes of data, detecting hidden patterns, and helping investigators uncover red flags in financial records, procurement, and public spending.

His team, for example, has developed BaselAI, a case analysis tool, and participates in the Horizon Europe FALCON project, which flags risks in procurement and border activities.

He also highlighted how AI can be used in training programs and open-source intelligence to support law enforcement and watchdog groups.

Yet Costa urged caution against blind faith in algorithms.

“We are humans, we have an incredible computational machine—our brains—and I’m sometimes a little bit scared that we are relying completely and entirely on artificial intelligence,” he said.

Former Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza said that while AI can detect anomalies, the Philippines lacks the basic data infrastructure to make such tools effective.

“Corruption is limitless. It is only limited by the bounds of our imagination,” she said.

“Yes, there is no debate in terms of the advantages of using AI in the fight against corruption. But in the Philippines, it is as basic as the culture of silence and the over-compromised oversight system,” she added.

Drawing on her experience in COA and the United Nations, Mendoza also pointed to outdated systems, fragmented data, and missed opportunities, such as the delayed rollout of the Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS).

 

Why integrity and institutions matter

For local leaders, AI may help untangle the complexity of corruption, but it cannot substitute for moral leadership.

In his video message, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong highlighted AI’s potential in identifying anomalous transactions and detecting risky patterns.

Magalong noted that local governments are beginning to roll out e-governance systems that reduce opportunities for graft.

Still, he underscored the need for political will, ethical standards, and investments in digital infrastructure.

“AI will not replace integrity, but it can augment and strengthen our collective fight against corruption,” Magalong said.

Former Ombudsman Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales drove home the same point, warning that AI must always go hand-in-hand with “HI—human intelligence.”

She tied this to the Ombudsman’s role as the “protector of the people” and “sumbungan ng bayan,” noting that corruption has long plagued Philippine governance despite the presence of numerous anti-corruption agencies.

Citing constitutional mandates, she reminded public officials that “public office is a public trust” and that they must “at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”

In this light, Morales emphasized that while “the age of AI is upon us,” its application in fighting corruption must be anchored on “fool-proof or fraud-proof technology” and, more importantly, entrusted only to well-trained staff with “deep-seated integrity, moral values, and due respect for the rule of law.”

She further stressed that technology alone is not enough; transparency and access to public information—such as Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs)—must also be safeguarded as these are vital tools for accountability. (PIDS)