Robert Kerwin C. Billones, Ph.D.

Dr. Robert Kerwin C. Billones is an engineer, technology executive and policy researcher working where AI, industry and public policy meet. He is co-founder and CEO of Intelligent Systems Innovation (ISI) Inc., a DLSU spin-off in AI and data that has served the Department of Science and Technology Region VIII and Unilever in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, with partnerships including AWS, the NVIDIA Inception Program, the Intel Partner Alliance and Profet AI. ISI commercializes CATCH-ALL, an AI visual analytics platform for mobility and traffic that grew out of his DOST-funded research and patent. He personally led the product development and managed the projects and client relationships, from Manila City, the MMDA and Makati City to Roxas City, General Santos City and the Cordillera region, and the "Eyes Up" workplace-safety AI for Unilever. He began his career as a digital IC design engineer at ROHM LSI Design Philippines and is now a full professor and research fellow in the Department of Biomedical, Manufacturing, and Robotics Engineering at De La Salle University, Manila. He holds a Ph.D. in Electronics and Communications Engineering (DLSU, 2018) and is a Leaders in Innovation Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, United Kingdom.

His industrial work spans digital manufacturing, digital twins, computer vision and optimization, including the DOST-PCIEERD Digital Manufacturing Assembly Trainer with Digital Twin Simulator. In digital policy, he serves as Asia Coordinator for AI Governance of the Asia-Europe for Artificial Intelligence (AE4AI) Network, is a research group member of the AI Policy Clinic of the Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP), Washington, D.C., sits on the Philippine AI standards committee mirroring ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42, and led "Frontiers Champions: AI Governance and Safety in the Philippines," funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering. He has published 110+ international articles and holds a Philippine patent on license plate detection and recognition.

Education

• Ph.D., Electronics and Communications Engineering, De La Salle University (2018)
• M.S., Electronics and Communications Engineering, De La Salle University (2015)
• B.S., Electronics and Communications Engineering, Bulacan State University (2010)
• Leaders in Innovation Fellowship in Technology Commercialization, Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) and Asian Institute of Management (2019)

Affiliations and standards work

• Founding Member; Asia Coordinator for AI Governance, Asia-Europe for Artificial Intelligence (AE4AI) Network, ASEF Singapore (2023–present)
• Research Group Member, AI Policy Clinic, Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP), Washington, D.C. (2026)
• Member (through the national body), ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 – Artificial Intelligence (2024–present)
• Member, DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards BPS/TC 60/SC4 – AI and Quantum Technologies (2024–present)
• Fellow, Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) – Leaders in Innovation Fellowship (2019–present)
• Project Leader, Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) – Frontiers Champions: AI Governance and Safety (2025–2026)

Sectors

Manufacturing · Semiconductors and Electronics · Transportation and Smart Cities · Consumer Goods · Government · Financial Services · Higher Education