Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the discipline of creating intelligent machines capable of analytical reasoning, enabling organisations to operate effectively and with foresight.
AI has transformed business operations into more efficient, competitive, and productive ones. For example, GrabMaps uses AI to cleanse and process the street view aggregated from data from merchants, drivers, and delivery partners to create a digital map to help drivers reach their destination quickly. Meanwhile, Kata.ai offers custom chatbots to automate customer service in Bahasa Indonesia.
According to Kearney, AI could add a 10 to 18 per cent GDP uplift across ASEAN, with a value of nearly USD 1 trillion by 2030. In ASEAN, 80 per cent of surveyed businesses in the region are already in the early stages of AI adoption.
Nonetheless, the upsurge of AI permeating the economy and social life is not without risk. AI relies heavily on data generated by users’ activities. Limitations in the data pool or coding may result in biases in decision-making. Additionally, AI poses risks such as privacy breaches and vulnerability to attacks due to inadequate cybersecurity that may expose AI systems. Therefore, AI governance in ASEAN is imperative to mitigate these risks, including ensuring inclusivity, data protection, and cyber resilience while achieving AI's full potential for the ASEAN economy.
Against this background, the ASEAN Digital Ministers recently endorsed the ASEAN Guide for AI Ethics and Governance (hereafter: The Guide). The Guide serves as a practical guide for organisations in the region that wish to design, develop, and deploy traditional AI technologies in commercial and non-military or dual-use applications. It focuses on encouraging alignment within ASEAN and fostering the interoperability of AI frameworks across jurisdictions. It also includes recommendations on national-level and regional-level initiatives that governments in the region can consider implementing to design, develop, and deploy AI systems responsibly.