Kuala Lumpur, 11–13 August 2025: Speaking at the Ministerial Roundtable on ’Towards a Unified ASEAN Approach to Responsible AI and Digital Trust’ during the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025, Dr Aladdin Rillo, ERIA’s Managing Director for Policy Design and Operations, called for deeper regional cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) standards and cross-border data governance to ensure AI supports equitable growth and inclusion across ASEAN.

‘In ASEAN, the goal is not only to harness AI’s economic potential but to ensure it is resilient, sustainable, and inclusive,’ Dr Rillo said. ‘Without collaboration, we risk widening inequality and exacerbating the digital divide. Common AI standards will foster interoperability, close knowledge gaps, and help stakeholders manage complex AI ecosystems. Equally critical is enabling trusted cross-border data flows, underpinned by sector-specific governance frameworks.’

The Ministerial Roundtable, chaired by YB Gobind Singh Deo, Malaysia’s Minister of Digital, was held on the sidelines of the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025. It brought together ministers and representatives from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam, alongside ASEAN Dialogue and External Partners. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance, with Timor-Leste participating as an observer. The session concluded with the adoption of the Chairman’s Statement of the Ministerial Roundtable Session, ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025 (AAIMS 2025).

Hosted by Malaysia’s Ministry of Digital, the Summit was officiated by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Bin Ibrahim and featured multi-stakeholder panels, sectoral AI showcases, and a high-level ministerial dialogue with YB Gobind Singh Deo; H.E. Chea Vandeth, Minister of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia; and YB Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications of Brunei Darussalam.

Malaysia highlighted progress in its national AI ecosystem through initiatives such as the Artificial Intelligence Roadmap 2021–2025 and the establishment of the National AI Office, as well as forthcoming plans including the National AI Development Framework, National AI Action Plan 2030, National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics (AIGE), and the ASEAN AI Safety Network.

A key milestone during the Summit was the launch of the National Cloud Computing Policy (NCCP), setting Malaysia’s pathway for secure and robust data ecosystems. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also unveiled Ilmu 1.0 – Malaysia’s first multimodal AI model capable of processing and generating text, voice, and images in Malay, English, and local dialects.