AISEAN / POLICIES
AI Policy & Regulation Tracker
National AI strategies, readiness, and dated regulatory developments across all 10 ASEAN states
🇸🇬 Singapore — National AI Strategy 2.0 (NAIS 2.0) — launched Dec 2023; updated May 2026 with 10 refreshed priorities under NAIS Update. National AI R&D Plan (NAIRD) 2025–2030 backed by S$1 billion investment. Agentic AI Governance Framework issued Jan 2026.
Most advanced in ASEAN. National AI Council chaired by PM established Feb 2026. May 2026 NAIS Update sets elevated ambitions across compute, ecosystem integration, talent, diplomacy. Voluntary, framework-driven model; no binding AI Act. AI Verify, Project Moonshot, and Singapore Digital Gateway operational. 70+ AI Centres of Excellence established. readiness 91 global rank #2 Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI); Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA); National AI Council (NAIC, chaired by PM); AI Governance Centre; National Research Foundation (NRF)
Compute & Data Infrastructure | Talent & Workforce Upskilling | Ecosystem Integration (Kampong AI / One-North) | Trusted Environment & Governance | Leader in Thought & Action (Global/ASEAN Diplomacy)
  • Jun 2026 Singapore Government and Google published findings from their AI Agents Sandbox on May 20, 2026, outlining governance considerations for agentic AI systems.
  • Jun 2026 Singapore's IMDA updated its Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026, addressing risks of autonomous AI agents with human oversight requirements.
  • Jun 2026 IMDA updated its Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026.
  • Jun 2026 Singapore Government and Google published findings from their AI Agents Sandbox on May 20, 2026, establishing governance considerations for agentic AI deployment.
  • Jun 2026 Singapore's IMDA updated its Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026, following the January 2026 launch.
  • Jun 2026 Singapore's IMDA updated its Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026.
  • Jun 2026 IMDA released an updated Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026.
  • Jun 2026 IMDA updated the Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026.
  • Jun 2026 Singapore's IMDA released an updated Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026.
  • Jun 2026 Singapore Government and Google released findings from their AI agents sandbox on May 20, 2026, providing governance insights on agentic AI deployment risks and human oversight calibration.
  • Jun 2026 Singapore's IMDA updated its Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI on May 20, 2026, refining guidance on responsible deployment of autonomous AI systems. S$1B+ AI compute 2024–2029. AI Verify testing framework. OpenAI opens first overseas lab (May 2026). Commonwealth AI Centre host. ASEAN AI Safety Network co-founder.
🇲🇾 Malaysia — National AI Roadmap 2021–2025 completed. National AI Action Plan 2026–2030 tabled and active from Jan 2026 — risk-based framework targeting top-20 global AI readiness by 2030. Budget 2026 allocated RM 1.36 billion to Ministry of Digital. AI Technology Action Plan 2026–2030 being operationalised by NAIO.
Active implementation phase. 2026 designated pivotal transition year toward 'AI Nation' status by 2030. NAIO launched Dec 2024; mandatory high-risk AI registration and AI Impact Assessments phasing in from 2026, mandatory requirements scaling from 2028. AI legislation drafting underway. Digital Trust and Data Security Strategy in development. Target: train ~1.2 million citizens; 900 AI startups by 2026. readiness 68 global rank #24 National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO); Ministry of Digital (MOD); Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI); National Security Council
Technology Development | AI Talent & Workforce | Governance & AI Legislation | Digital Infrastructure & Data Centres | Sustainable & Ethical AI Investment

PM Anwar banned non-AI DC applications (Feb 2026). $6.45B GPU imports Jan–Apr 2025. World #1 DC destination 2023–24. ILMU sovereign LLM. ASEAN AI Safety Network secretariat.

🇹🇭 Thailand — National AI Strategy & Action Plan 2022–2027 (cabinet-approved Jul 2022). Draft Principles of AI Law released mid-2025, currently being refined by ETDA — AI Act expected to be finalised this fiscal year (2026). Cloud-First Policy active. BOT AI Risk Policy Direction (Sep 2025) operational.
Accelerating from policy to implementation. Digital Economy Minister confirmed landmark AI Act to be finalised in 2026 covering governance, copyright, labelling, and high-risk systems. Sector-specific regulations from BOT, SEC, OIC already in force. PDPA enforcement active with THB 21.5M+ in fines (2025). BOI designates AI as priority sector 2025–2026. Ranked 2nd globally for AI social acceptance and 5th for AI development inclusivity (2025 AI Governance International Evaluation Index). readiness 62 global rank #35 Ministry of Digital Economy & Society (MDES); Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA); AI Governance Centre (AIGC); NECTEC/NSTDA; National AI Committee
Social, Ethical, Legal & Regulatory Readiness | National AI Infrastructure (LANTA HPC / Government Data Cloud) | Human Capability & Education (30,000+ AI talents target) | Technology & Innovation (Medical AI, Digital Farming) | AI Adoption & Deployment (600+ agencies)
  • Jun 2026 Thailand's PDPC released draft Guidelines on Personal Data Protection in AI (Feb 2026) — mandating model-training prohibitions in data agreements and DPIAs for high-risk AI. $2.7B DC investment secured. Google $1B Chonburi DC. Amazon $5B. Pathumma sovereign LLM (NSTDA). Draft AI Risk Regulation (ETDA 2025). 2027 AI hub target.
🇻🇳 Vietnam — National Strategy for Research, Development and Application of AI to 2030 (Decision 127/QD-TTg, 2021). AI Industry Development Strategy to 2030 supplemented by Digital Transformation Program to 2025 and vision to 2030. Draft Decree on AI Governance (risk-based) in preparation as of 2025–2026.
Active implementation. Vietnam targets becoming a top-4 AI country in ASEAN by 2030. National AI Centre (NAIC) established. Government deploying AI in smart cities, healthcare, education, and e-government. Significant Big Tech investment (Samsung, Intel, Nvidia facilities). AI regulation moving from soft ethics guidelines toward a draft decree. Compute and talent gaps remain key constraints. readiness 58 global rank #39 Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST); Ministry of Information & Communications (MIC); National Innovation Centre (NIC); National AI Centre (NAIC); National Committee on Digital Transformation
AI R&D Ecosystem | Digital Transformation & Smart Government | Talent & STEM Education | AI-Enabled Industry (Manufacturing, Fintech, Health) | Ethical & Legal Framework Development
  • Jun 2026 Vietnam published draft decree guiding the AI Law and draft Prime Minister decision identifying high-risk AI systems in February 2026, operationalizing the AI Law that took effect in March 2026.
  • Jun 2026 Vietnam published draft decree guiding the AI Law and draft Prime Minister decision identifying high-risk AI systems in February 2026.
  • Jun 2026 Vietnam published draft decree guiding AI Law implementation and draft decision identifying high-risk AI systems in February 2026, with regulatory infrastructure and authorities to be established in 2026. Only ASEAN nation with binding AI legislation (Dec 2025). 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030. $79.3B AI GDP projection. FPT $400M AI factory.
🇵🇭 Philippines — National AI Strategy Roadmap 2.0 (NAISR 2.0, 2024). National AI Strategy for the Philippines (NAIS-PH) approved by President Marcos Jr. in May 2025 — whole-of-government framework through 2028. AI Governance Framework being finalised by DEPDev (Apr 2026). AI Development Act (HB 7396) under legislative review.
Dynamic and accelerating. UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment completed Nov 2025. SONAI 2026 (Jan 2026) showcased government AI deployment. DEPDev finalising first AI Governance Framework (Apr 2026). Philippine Council on AI (PCAI) bills filed in both chambers. ASEAN 2026 Chair promoting 'AI for Good'. 92% of Philippine organisations have deployed AI. Center for AI Research (CAIR) and National AI Center for Research and Innovation (NAICRI) established. readiness 55 global rank #43 Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT); Department of Economy, Planning & Development (DEPDev); Department of Science & Technology (DOST/PCIEERD); Center for AI Research (CAIR); proposed Philippine Council on AI (PCAI)
Infrastructure Development | Workforce Capacity Building | Innovation Ecosystem (CAIR/NAICRI) | Ethical Policy Frameworks | Strategic Deployment in Healthcare, Agriculture & BPO
  • Jun 2026 On May 30, 2026, ASEAN announced from Manila — with the Philippines holding the 2026 chair — that negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) had concluded; DEFA sets binding common rules across ASEAN for cross-border data transfers, e-commerce, cybersecurity, and AI, making it the world's first regional digital economy agreement and a landmark governance milestone for AI regulation across all ten member states.
  • Jun 2026 Philippines announced on May 30, 2026 the conclusion of negotiations on ASEAN's Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).
  • Jun 2026 As 2026 ASEAN Chair, the Philippines plans to propose a binding regional AI regulatory framework drawn from its draft domestic legislation. No binding AI regulation yet. English-language AI talent advantage. BPO sector AI pivot underway. Grid reliability challenges for hyperscale DC. CAIR established 2023.
🇮🇩 Indonesia — Stranas AI 2020–2045 (foundational). National AI Roadmap White Paper published Aug 2025 by KOMDIGI. Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on AI Roadmap and AI Ethics Guidelines prioritised in 2026 — awaiting presidential signature. Sovereign AI Fund via Danantara proposed.
Regulatory framework transitioning from voluntary ethics circular (Ministerial Circular No. 9/2023) to binding presidential regulation. Perpres confirmed as 2026 priority by Communications Minister (Jan 2026). Once enacted, all ministries must issue derivative sector regulations. OJK Banking AI Governance (Apr 2025) operational. AI Ethics Council (national) proposed but not yet established. AI could add up to USD 140 billion to GDP by 2030. readiness 54 global rank #46 Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (KOMDIGI); Financial Services Authority (OJK); National Research & Innovation Agency (BRIN); AI Roadmap Task Force (443-member); Danantara (sovereign wealth fund)
Ethics & Policy | Talent Development | Infrastructure & Data (Satu Data Indonesia) | Research & Industrial Innovation | AI Financing (Danantara Sovereign Fund)

First sovereign AI DC (BDx CGK4, Dec 2024). $1.7B Microsoft commitment. AI Center of Excellence with NVIDIA & Cisco. No binding AI law yet.

🇧🇳 Brunei — Vision 2035 (AI embedded)
🟡 Planning readiness 36 global rank #74 iARN (Infocomm & Technology Authority)
Digital government; sovereign wealth AI investment; e-services

Highest per-capita GDP in SEA. BIA sovereign fund could anchor ASEAN GPU pooling. No dedicated AI law. Vision 2035 digital ambitions include AI for government services.

🇰🇭 Cambodia — Digital Economy and Digital Society Policy 2021–2035 includes AI as a component. Draft National AI Policy in consultation stage as of 2025. AI referenced under Rectangular Strategy Phase IV and Digital Cambodia Masterplan.
Early-stage development. No standalone AI strategy enacted yet; AI governance embedded within broader digital policy frameworks. Government deploying AI in limited use cases (customs, agriculture, public services). ICT regulator Techno Science Research Institute (TSRI) exploring AI governance frameworks. Heavily reliant on international partners (China, South Korea, UN agencies) for capacity building. readiness 28 global rank #89 Ministry of Digital Economy & Business (MDEB); Techno Science Research Institute (TSRI); Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC)
Digital Infrastructure | E-Government Services | AI Awareness & Education | Regulatory Foundation | International & Development Partner Engagement

Pragmatic innovation-first approach. Khmer language severely underrepresented in all major global LLMs. Public consultation on AI strategy ongoing 2025.

🇱🇦 Laos — 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2021–2025) references AI and digital transformation. Digital Economy Policy framework under development. No standalone national AI strategy as of mid-2026.
Nascent. Lao PDR remains at the earliest stage of AI policy formulation in ASEAN. Government focus is primarily on foundational digital connectivity and e-government. Limited AI adoption confined to fintech (BCEL banking) and smart agriculture pilots. Capacity-building programs via ASEAN, ADB, and bilateral partners (China, South Korea) are the primary vehicles for AI development. readiness 22 global rank #104 Ministry of Technology and Communications (MTC); National Institute for Information Technology (NIIT); Ministry of Planning and Investment
Foundational Digital Connectivity | E-Government Digitisation | AI Awareness & Literacy | Development Finance & Capacity Building | Regional ASEAN Alignment

Lao language extremely underrepresented in all major LLMs — near zero training data. High-value sovereign data opportunity. Very early-stage digital economy.

🇲🇲 Myanmar — No formal national AI strategy in place. Pre-coup Digital Economy Law (2020) provides partial digital governance base. AI governance severely disrupted following the Feb 2021 military coup. Limited isolated AI application by private sector actors.
Suspended / Severely Underdeveloped. Political instability, international sanctions, infrastructure destruction, and internet shutdowns have effectively halted systematic AI policy development. No dedicated AI body or roadmap exists. ASEAN participation on AI matters remains nominal. Lowest AI readiness score in ASEAN. readiness 12 global rank #112 Ministry of Transport & Communications (de-facto military administration); no dedicated AI authority
N/A — No active strategic pillars identified under current governance

Political instability severely limits AI policy progress post-2021 coup. Cybersecurity Law No.1/2025 indirectly touches AI. Significant latent AI talent base.