DTI to boost digitalization, AI technology use for consumer protection

MANILA — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) vowed to enhance consumer protection and fair trade this year by pushing for digitalization and use of artificial intelligence.

Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Aldeguer-Roque said they strengthened the campaign last year amid the booming online shopping industry in the country. 

"For this year, we are adding more people and then we are also using AI to be able to answer the usual frequently asked questions or redundant questions so we're using technology already to be able to also address some of these concerns on a more aggressive basis," Roque said in an interview Wednesday.

Aside from chatbots, the agency is exploring the use of advanced technology to address concerns, according to Roque. 

The DTI chief is set to meet with top online shopping platforms to enforce product regulation.

"This first week or next week, I'm meeting already with the big platforms to discuss with them how we can really regulate and how we can really monitor and enforce the products that are being sold in their platforms," she noted. 

Roque added that consumers can directly send their complaints to her office through the DTI's website.