ASEAN AI Guide
ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics (with Generative AI Expansion)
Regional AI governance framework for 10 ASEAN member states. Non-binding guide promoting transparency, fairness, security, and human-centricity. January 2025 expansion addresses six GenAI-specific risks including deepfakes, misinformation, and vulnerable population harms.
Jurisdiction
ASEAN
Enacted
Feb 1, 2024
Effective
Feb 1, 2024
Enforcement
TBD
Base guide released Feb 2024 at 4th ADGMIN; GenAI expansion Jan 2025 at 5th ADGMIN. Voluntary framework, not legally binding.
ASEANWhy It Matters
Regional framework covering 700M+ population across 10 countries. GenAI expansion specifically addresses anthropomorphism risks and vulnerable population protections - directly relevant to AI companion safety.
Recent Developments
January 2025 GenAI expansion launched at 5th ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting. Malaysia (ASEAN Chair 2025) championing ASEAN AI Safety Network (ASEAN AI Safe) for AI safety research.
At a Glance
Harms addressed
Requires
Who Must Comply
- Organizations designing, developing, or deploying AI in ASEAN member states
- Voluntary adoption - not legally binding
Obligations fall on:
Safety Provisions
- Core principles: transparency, fairness, security, reliability, privacy, accountability, human-centricity
- GenAI risk areas: mistakes/anthropomorphism, factual inaccuracy/disinformation, deepfakes/impersonation/fraud, IP infringement, privacy/confidentiality, embedded biases
- Nine policy recommendations: accountability, trusted development, incident reporting, testing/assurance, security, content provenance, safety R&D, AI for public good
- Guidance on vulnerable population protections
- Content provenance markers to trace AI-generated content origin
View on map
ASEAN
Focus Areas
Cite This
APA
ASEAN. (2024). ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics (with Generative AI Expansion).
Related Regulations
India AI Governance Guidelines
Voluntary AI governance framework built on seven core principles ('sutras'): Trust, People First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness & Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design, and Safety/Resilience/Sustainability. Establishes AI Governance Group, AI Safety Institute, and Technology & Policy Expert Committee.
Kenya AI Bill
First comprehensive AI bill in Sub-Saharan Africa. Proposes creation of AI Commissioner, AI Authority, and Advisory Committee. Establishes risk-based regulatory model aligned with EU AI Act framework, criminalizes harmful deepfakes, and mandates AI content labeling.
Korea AI Act
First comprehensive AI legislation in Asia-Pacific and second in the world after EU. Regulates "High-Impact AI" in healthcare, energy, nuclear, transport, government, and education sectors. Requires transparency notifications, content labeling for generative AI, and fundamental rights impact assessments. Notable for lower penalties than EU AI Act and absence of prohibited AI practices.
NZ Biometric Code
Sets specific legal requirements under Privacy Act for collecting and using biometric data such as facial recognition and fingerprint scans. Prohibits particularly intrusive uses including emotion prediction and inferring protected characteristics like ethnicity or sex.
AU Privacy Amendment 2024
Strengthens Privacy Act requirements for biometric data collection, raising the standard of conduct for collecting biometric information used for automated verification or identification. Cannot collect such information unless individual has consented and it is reasonably necessary.
SG MAS AI Governance
First mandatory AI governance requirements in Singapore, shifting from voluntary Model AI Governance Framework to binding obligations for financial sector. Establishes three mandatory focus areas: oversight and governance, risk management systems, and development/validation/deployment protocols.
Last updated January 22, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.