Centering Southeast Asia in Global AI Conversations

For too long, the discourse on artificial intelligence safety has been dominated by a narrow set of voices—primarily those from the United States and China, the world's leading compute, talent, and financial hubs. While their contributions have shaped critical frameworks for managing AI risks, this concentration has left vast regions underrepresented in decisions that will affect billions.

Southeast Asia, home to over 700 million people and one of the world's fastest-growing digital economies, represents a crucial yet often overlooked stakeholder in global AI governance. Young, digitally connected, and rapidly adopting AI technologies across sectors, the region is uniquely positioned to offer fresh perspectives on balancing innovation with safety, economic development with responsible deployment.

In August 2025, AI Safety Asia (AISA) and the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation released "AI Safety Governance, The Southeast Asian Way", a comprehensive report examining AI governance developments across 11 Southeast Asian nations and charting a path toward more inclusive, regionally grounded frameworks.

A Multistakeholder Approach to Regional Governance

The report represents the culmination of six high-level roundtable discussions convened by AISA throughout Southeast Asia, bringing together diverse voices from government ministries, technology companies, academic institutions, and civil society organizations. This deliberate multistakeholder methodology reflects AISA's core commitment to inclusive, evidence-based policymaking.

Spanning Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, the research captures the heterogeneity of the region, from Singapore's advanced digital infrastructure to emerging digital economies still building foundational capacity. This diversity isn't a limitation; it's an asset that offers lessons for diverse and developing regions worldwide.

Drawing from Global Best Practices, Tailored to Local Realities

On August 28, 2025, AISA and Brookings hosted an online discussion examining the report's findings and their implications for global AI governance. The conversation centered on a critical question: How can regions like Southeast Asia draw from established frameworks in the Global North while designing solutions that reflect their own economic realities, cultural contexts, and development priorities?

The answer lies not in wholesale adoption of Western models, but in strategic adaptation - identifying universal principles while creating space for regional innovation in implementation. Southeast Asian countries are demonstrating that effective AI safety governance doesn't require choosing between rapid innovation and robust safeguards; it requires designing systems that enable both.

AISA as Bridge-Builder

This collaboration exemplifies AISA's strategic positioning as a bridge between Global North expertise and Global South innovation. By partnering with leading institutions like Brookings while maintaining deep regional roots, AISA ensures that Southeast Asian perspectives don't merely respond to global frameworks, they help shape them.

The report's recommendations, developed through sustained engagement with regional stakeholders, offer actionable pathways for governments, private sector actors, and civil society organizations seeking to navigate the complexities of AI governance. More importantly, they contribute to a growing body of evidence that inclusive AI governance is not just ethically necessary, it's strategically essential for developing technologies that truly serve global needs.

The Path Forward

As AI technologies continue to advance at unprecedented speed, the imperative for inclusive governance frameworks grows more urgent. Southeast Asia's active participation in global AI safety conversations isn't simply about representation, it's about ensuring that the frameworks being built today can work for diverse contexts tomorrow.

The AISA-Brookings collaboration marks a significant milestone in this journey, but it's only the beginning. As the region continues to digitize and its role in the global digital economy expands, Southeast Asia's contributions to AI safety governance will become increasingly indispensable.

Read the full report: AI Safety Governance, The Southeast Asian Way