As Southeast Asian nations accelerate digital transformation, experts at the Boao Forum for Asia 2025 spotlight how ASEAN can harness artificial intelligence (AI) to fuel sustainable development while addressing critical data security concerns.
Balancing Progress and Protection
Chheng Kimlong, Director of the Center for Governance Innovation and Democracy at the Asian Vision Institute, emphasized during a forum dialogue that "AI adoption must align with regional stability goals." Responding to Khmer Times National Editor Ben Sokhean’s inquiry, Kimlong noted ASEAN’s potential to build AI governance frameworks that protect citizen privacy while enabling cross-border data flows.
Strategic Priorities Emerge
Key discussion points included:
Developing unified standards for ethical AI deployment
Strengthening public-private partnerships for tech infrastructure
Enhancing cybersecurity cooperation across ASEAN member states
The forum highlighted Singapore’s AI regulatory sandbox and Vietnam’s smart city initiatives as regional models.
Global Attention on Asian Innovation
With over 2,000 delegates from 60 countries and regions attending, the Boao Forum serves as a critical platform for addressing Asia’s evolving role in shaping global tech policies. Discussions underscored the need for alignment between the Chinese mainland’s AI advancements and ASEAN’s digital economy goals.
