Manila, Aug. 5 -- Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday said he is seeking to criminalize the unauthorized use of a person's likeness and identity through artificial intelligence (AI), warning that AI-generated content is increasingly being exploited to spread fake news, commit fraud, or endorse illegitimate products.

Escudero filed Senate Bill No. 782, or the proposed Physical Identity Protection Act, which seeks to impose jail terms, stiff fines, and permanent disqualification from public office for government officials who are found guilty of misusing AI.

"Used properly, AI could serve as a powerful tool for education, business, and other fields for improving productivity, research, and finding solutions to complex problems. H...