Singapore to advance AI agenda as Asean chair, focus on cross-border data flows, smaller firms

[JAKARTA] When Singapore assumes the chairmanship of Asean in 2027, it will advance several shared artificial intelligence priorities centred around encouraging better adoption across sectors and investing more in shared digital public goods.

The nation also intends to deepen cross-border data-flow mechanisms and align regional approaches to AI governance.

The republic’s Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo announced this on Wednesday (Jun 17) as she closed her keynote address on why South-east Asia is well-positioned to expand AI adoption, and the pitfalls the region must avoid to do so confidently.

She was speaking at the second edition of the Asia Economic Summit organised by English-language technology media company Tech in Asia (TIA). Held at the Fairmont Jakarta hotel, the conference was themed “Where South-east Asia’s economic decisions take shape”.

The day-long meeting for some 250 regional policymakers, business leaders, investors and technology stakeholders set out to align policy intent with investment priorities and execution pathways in South-east Asia.

Teo identified two potential pitfalls of AI adoption – data policies and sovereignty.

On data policies, she said that while restrictions are necessary to protect personal and sensitive data or national security, onerous regulations may hamper innovation and businesses – hitting, in particular, small companies without the resources to overcome compliance hurdles.

And when businesses expand their operations to scale beyond a single territory, the interoperability of data policies becomes possible, she added.

Efforts to help small enterprises thrive include regional initiatives such as the landmark Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which will put in place common rules to enable digital trade and support trusted cross-border data flows.

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The second pitfall concerns how countries respond to the need for AI sovereignty.

The oftentimes-narrow framing of this question as one of ownership or a race to claim full possession of the entire AI stack is neither realistic nor helpful for most nations because of cost and supply-chain intricacies, said Teo.

The way she sees it, national goals can be framed with three points in mind: the need to use and govern AI for the public good; autonomy to make smart choices on sources, partnerships and terms; and the anchors that can broaden and deepen AI ecosystems.

Teo, who is also the minister in charge of Smart Nation and cybersecurity, joined Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid in a discussion panel later on how upgrading physical networks and data systems can create a foundation for AI-driven growth.

The discussion was moderated by TIA’s overall lead and editor-in-chief Terence Lee.

Indonesia shares similar concerns, particularly the need to make AI inclusive, said Meutya.

Ongoing efforts by the Indonesian government include the use of AI in its social-assistance programmes to ensure that such help and other public services reach the rural parts of the country, where communities are among the poorest and require digital development the most, she added.