ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics is a Voluntary code from ASEAN, adopted on 2024-02-02 and effective 2024-02-02. Current status: In force. Non-binding voluntary guide for 10 ASEAN member states (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei). Adopts a cross-cutting risk + values framework intentionally distinct from the EU AIA's prescriptive model — emphasises 'pragmatic + flexible' implementation reflecting member-state capacity diversity. Pairs with Singapore AI Verify Foundation's technical toolkit.
Scope and obligations
Non-binding voluntary guide for 10 ASEAN member states (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei). Adopts a cross-cutting risk + values framework intentionally distinct from the EU AIA's prescriptive model — emphasises 'pragmatic + flexible' implementation reflecting member-state capacity diversity. Pairs with Singapore AI Verify Foundation's technical toolkit.
ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics addresses 2 contested AI-governance topics explicitly, 3 via general principles,.
Topics governed
- implicitFoundation Models / GPAI— Guide §6 covers GenAI but with flexible implementation expectations
- governsTransparency Obligations— ASEAN Guide §4 (transparency + explainability principle)
- implicitTechnological Sovereignty— Guide framing emphasises ASEAN-bloc capacity-building over external dependency
- implicitDevelopment-Rights Framings— Guide centres 'pragmatic + flexible' implementation reflecting member-state development trajectories
- governsInternational Coordination— Guide explicitly designed to harmonise across ASEAN-10 member states + interoperate with OECD AI Principles + G7 Hiroshima
Cross-jurisdiction comparison
How peer instruments treat the topics ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics governs.
| Topic | EU-AIA-2024 | US-EO-14110 | US-EO-14179 | UK-WHITEPAPER-2023 | CN-GENAI-2023 | G7-HIROSHIMA | OECD-AI-PRIN | COE-AI-CONV | UN-RES-2024 | NIST-AI-RMF | BLETCHLEY-2023 | SEOUL-2024 | NIST-AI-RMF-GENAI | CA-SB-1047 | IN-DPDP-2023 | BR-AIBILL-2024 | AU-AI-STRATEGY-2024 | ANTHROPIC-RSP-2024 | OPENAI-PREPAREDNESS-2023 | DEEPMIND-FSF-2024 | META-FRONTIER-2024 | UK-US-AISI-MOU-2024 | WH-VOLUNTARY-2023 | SG-MODEL-AI-2024 | JP-METI-AI-2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transparency Obligations | governs | implicit | silent | implicit | conflicts | governs | governs | governs | implicit | governs | implicit | governs | governs | implicit | implicit | governs | silent | governs | implicit | implicit | governs | implicit | governs | governs | governs |
| International Coordination | silent | silent | silent | silent | silent | silent | silent | silent | silent | silent | governs | governs | silent | silent | silent | silent | governs | implicit | implicit | implicit | implicit | governs | implicit | governs | governs |
How to cite this article
APA 7
Policy Window. (2024). ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics [Wiki article]. https://policywindow.org/wiki/asean-ai-guide
Chicago 17
Policy Window. 2024. "ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics." Wiki article. https://policywindow.org/wiki/asean-ai-guide.
BibTeX
@misc{policywindow-asean-ai-guide,
title = {ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics},
author = {Policy Window},
year = {2024},
howpublished = {ASEAN Digital Ministers Meeting (DGMIN), Feb 2024},
url = {https://policywindow.org/wiki/asean-ai-guide},
note = {Primary source: https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ASEAN-Guide-on-AI-Governance-and-Ethics_beautified_201223_v2.pdf}
}Related instruments
References
- ASEAN Digital Ministers Meeting (DGMIN), Feb 2024
- Guide §6 covers GenAI but with flexible implementation expectations
- ASEAN Guide §4 (transparency + explainability principle)
- Guide framing emphasises ASEAN-bloc capacity-building over external dependency
- Guide centres 'pragmatic + flexible' implementation reflecting member-state development trajectories
- Guide explicitly designed to harmonise across ASEAN-10 member states + interoperate with OECD AI Principles + G7 Hiroshima
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