DOJ upgrades NBI clearance system with AI

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is upgrading the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance system by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up processing and address long-standing delays for applicants.

DOJ Undersecretary Garney M. Candelaria said the agency plans to test the AI-driven system starting 1 January, with full implementation targeted by 31 March 2027.

The upgraded platform will move beyond the traditional verification process, which relies mainly on basic personal information such as names, mothers' maiden names and places of birth.

“In this new system, it is already AI-driven. Now, it accepts several parameters and the AI will readily identify you,” Candelaria said.

The system will also use applicants' educational backgrounds and employment histories to improve identity verification and reduce “false hits” — cases in which applicants are flagged because they share names with individuals who have criminal records.

Candelaria, who oversees the NBI portfolio at the DOJ, said the system would also prevent applicants who have previously cleared their records from repeatedly triggering hits.

Under the existing process, applicants flagged for further verification typically wait 10 to 15 days for their clearances. The new system aims to reduce the waiting period to seven to eight days.

Applicants will also be able to upload supporting documents online, allowing the NBI to verify records remotely.

The upgrade forms part of the DOJ and NBI's efforts to modernize public services and reduce processing delays through digital technology.