What Happens When AI Ranks Modern Arnis?
As a bit of an experiment, I asked both ChatGPT and Gemini the same question:
List the top ten living, active, teaching Modern Arnis instructors, ranked by relevance, influence, lineage, and active involvement.
Here’s what came back.
ChatGPT’s List – Modern Arnis
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Datu Tim Hartman – Head of the World Modern Arnis Alliance; one of the most active Modern Arnis instructors worldwide, with sustained organizational leadership and seminar impact.
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Punong Guro Craig Mason (Canada) – Consistently producing instructors and black belts with strong international reach.
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Punong Guro Tye Botting – A central figure in preserving and advancing Modern Arnis; widely respected as a technical instructor and mentor.
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Punong Guro Chad Dulin – Actively teaching and expanding Modern Arnis, with strong lineage and growing influence.
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Master Richard (Rich) Parsons – Senior Flint-lineage instructor continuing to teach and influence through instruction and seminars.
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Dieter Knüttel (Europe) – One of the most relevant Modern Arnis instructors in Europe, with ongoing international leadership.
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Chuck Gauss – A long-standing instructor who remains relevant through experience, mentorship, and continued teaching.
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Kenny Smith – Senior instructor actively teaching and mentoring within the Modern Arnis community.
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Rodel Dagooc – Teaching Modern Arnis with direct Filipino lineage, respected for authenticity and cultural connection.
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Remy Presas Jr. – Son of the founder; actively teaching and representing Modern Arnis, with relevance rooted largely in lineage and seminars.
Gemini’s List – Modern Arnis (Deep Dive)
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Datu Tim Hartman – Head of the World Modern Arnis Alliance and one of the most active global figures today.
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Grandmaster Dieter Knüttel – Head of the German Arnis Association and leader of the largest European Modern Arnis contingent.
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Chuck Gauss – Senior instructor still teaching at major seminars.
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Datu Kelly Worden – One of the original Datus appointed by Remy Presas, actively teaching his Natural Spirit progression.
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Datu Shishir Inocalla – Teaching internationally and integrating Modern Arnis with traditional Filipino healing.
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Master Brian Zawilinski – Active in preserving the art’s history and technical precision.
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Rodel Dagooc – Head of the Dagooc Arnis System and a close student of the founder.
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Remy Presas Jr. – Leader of MARPPIO, continuing his father’s legacy.
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Master Rich Parsons – Increasingly prominent within the WMAA and Balintawak-influenced Modern Arnis.
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Guro Tye Botting – Frequently featured at global seminars and known for technical depth.
Then I Expanded the Question
I also asked both platforms to rank the Top 10 Living Filipino Martial Arts instructors overall, across Kali, Eskrima, Arnis, and related systems.
Again, there was overlap—and divergence.
Some names appeared consistently. Others surfaced because of media exposure, seminar visibility, or organizational footprint. A few required fine-tuning once real-world context was applied.
That’s not a criticism of AI.
Honestly—it did pretty well.
What interested me most wasn’t whether the lists were right or wrong, but why certain names kept appearing, where the lists aligned, and where lived experience told a more complete story.
A number of names showed up because of Bobby Taboada’s influence, which makes sense. Many Modern Arnis practitioners—including myself—trained with him, and a lot of Professor Remy Presas’ students went in that direction after he passed.
Others appeared because their impact came through interviews, online discussions, and preserving history, rather than constant time on the teaching floor. That contribution matters too—it just looks different.
The takeaway?
AI can recognize patterns, visibility, and influence.
But it can’t fully weigh lived experience, lineage nuance, or what’s actually happening on the training floor.
AI is a tool.
But experience, history, and context still matter.
I thought the comparison was worth sharing.
Datu Tim Hartman
Modern Arnis Tribal Chief
