- Region’s diversity can be an asset in shaping AI governance
- Coordination, data sharing and trust key to regional alignment
As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates across Southeast Asia, Dr Jun-E Tan (pic), Senior Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute, says the region’s unique diversity and shared challenges — combined with its 700 million-strong, young and increasingly tech-savvy population — give it an opportunity to shape its own path in AI governance and speak with greater influence on the global stage.
“The challenge with Southeast Asia is the diversity we have and the different stages of development we’re in. Malaysia can play the role of linking everyone together to speak in one common voice at the regional level,” she said. Singapore is among the most advanced in AI, supported by established governance frameworks and implementation mechanisms. Other nations such as Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia are progressing steadily, while others are still focused on building foundational infrastructure and improving digital connectivity.
In early 2025, she co-authored a report on AI governance in Malaysia, published by Khazanah Research Institute, which examined the country’s policy readiness and offered recommendations for building regulatory capacity. Drawing on this research, she has been actively engaging with stakeholders on how national strategies can align with regional ambitions.
Southeast Asia can leverage its large market to speak with a united voice on issues of global AI governance or to negotiate with major technology players. Such alignment, she notes, can lead to tangible outcomes — from building AI readiness to advocating for stronger safeguards that reflect the region’s priorities
Jun-E will be speaking at the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit (AAIMS 2025) on 12–13 August at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur. The event will gather policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to explore AI governance, safety, and regional cooperation.
Building national capacity while thinking regionally
At the national level, Malaysia has yet to introduce AI-specific legislation. Tan notes that Malaysia already has a National AI Office, established in December 2024, which can play a critical role in tracking global regulatory developments, assessing which are relevant locally, and providing early guidance to start-ups and SMEs on compliance.
“We’re not looking to replicate the EU AI Act; I don’t think it’s feasible for us now,” she said.
Jun-E stresses that innovation and regulation are not opposing forces. “My stance is innovation and regulation are not mutually exclusive. But at our current adoption level, as a society, we haven’t yet decided how much risk we’re happy with — those conversations need to happen.”
She adds that achieving a common baseline of AI readiness across Southeast Asia requires more than policy declarations. It calls for sustained knowledge sharing, technical training, and institutional capacity building so that all member states — regardless of their starting point — can participate meaningfully in regional AI governance and safety discussions.
From vision to practical governance
Jun-E advocates for more evidence-based policy. She calls for the creation of AI incident repositories — at national, sectoral, or regional levels — and for ensuring interoperability between them.
“If we start collecting impact data now, in three years we’ll have our own dataset to share across countries — leading to a regional picture of AI safety, rather than purely imported ones.”
She adds that trust, while less tangible, is equally critical. “Trust is important but often overlooked. Governance is crucial for the growth we want, because if something goes wrong, it sets us back.”
“Knowledge is power. If we can give innovators advance notice of where our regulation is heading, we can help them prepare and adapt, rather than be caught off guard,” she explained.
Leveraging Southeast Asia’s diversity
Beyond regulation, Jun-E sees Southeast Asia’s linguistic, cultural, and economic diversity as an untapped strength. “One point technology builders often miss is that the world is bigger than their English-language sphere. The region’ diversity is a strength — we can remind global players that the world is much more than Silicon Valley.”
She also points out that building AI models in languages beyond English is not just about inclusion, but about resilience. Different languages can have varying levels of susceptibility to being ‘jailbroken’, which can be a security disadvantage. “This shouldn’t be about which AI model is better but it is about ensuring everyone’s models are safe so the baseline of safety is higher.”
Looking ahead to the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit
She will be moderating a panel discussion exploring national and regional initiatives on AI governance and safety, where she will discuss how different Southeast Asian countries are approaching AI policy, highlight opportunities for collaboration between national strategies and regional frameworks.
“For the Summit, it’s a great opportunity to learn what’s going on and make friends. Exchanging information happens through these relationships.”
Chong Jinn Xiung is a Senior Contributing Writer at Digital News Asia.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
