Fostering regional cooperation for trustworthy AI in Southeast Asia
A policy roundtable on 26 May 2025, in Tokyo and online:
OECD-Southeast Asia Policy Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence: Fostering international cooperation to seize AI opportunities in Southeast Asia
For online attendance, please register directly online.
If you are interested in attending in person, please contact the OECD Tokyo Office at: hugo.lavigne@oecd.org.
As artificial intelligence transforms societies and economies, Southeast Asia is rapidly establishing itself as a vibrant hub for AI innovation and strategic development. With over $30 billion invested in AI infrastructure in the first half of 2024 alone, the region is making substantial progress in utilising AI to foster economic growth and tackle societal challenges. National AI strategies are progressing in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Viet Nam. At the same time, ASEAN’s recently introduced Guide on AI Governance and Ethics marks a significant step towards regulatory alignment and interoperability.
To support these national efforts and deepen international cooperation, the OECD is convening a policy roundtable on 26 May 2025, in Tokyo and online.
Hosted and initiated by the OECD Tokyo Office, a global relations hub for Southeast Asia, and in close cooperation with the OECD AI Policy Observatory, the Policy Roundtable on AI seeks to enhance regional and country AI governance capabilities while fostering the creation of trustworthy, inclusive, and human-centred AI systems through dialogue and collaboration. This initiative demonstrates the OECD’s commitment to partnering with Southeast Asia to promote policies that harness the advantages of AI while mitigating its risks, ensuring that innovation benefits the public good across borders.
The “OECD-Southeast Asia Policy Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence: Fostering International Cooperation to Seize AI Opportunities in Southeast Asia” will bring together policy experts, government representatives, international organisations, research institutions to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and explore pathways for the trusted adoption of AI in line with global standards such as the OECD AI Principles while maximising the potential of AI applied to specific sectors.
The full-day event will begin with a keynote presentation on the OECD’s work in AI governance, including implementing the OECD AI Principles and the tools available through the OECD.AI Policy Observatory. These tools include the AI Policy Toolkit, under development, the Ask AIR research assistant, and the OECD AI Incidents and Hazards Monitor, AIM.
This establishes a foundation for discussing how Southeast Asian economies can engage with OECD-led multilateral initiatives and strengthen their national AI governance ecosystems. Roundtable sessions will explore the policy landscape across the region, spotlighting national AI strategies and identifying shared challenges and opportunities (Session 1). Sector-specific sessions will examine the role of AI in agriculture (Session 2) and disaster management (Session 2)—two priority areas where the technology holds great promise for improving livelihoods and resilience. Presentations will highlight use cases from across Southeast Asia and beyond.
