The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)AI regulation

Regulation Status

• ASEAN does not have binding AI legislation; instead, it issues non-binding guides and roadmaps to encourage responsible AI development and regional alignment. The ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics (2024) and its expanded version for generative AI (2025) provide voluntary principles and recommendations, not enforceable rules. ASEAN's approach is flexible, risk-based, and leaves implementation details to member states, with no outright bans or 'unacceptable risk' categories like the EU AI Act. Recent initiatives include the ASEAN Responsible AI Roadmap 2025-2030 and the establishment of the ASEAN AI Safety Network, both focused on coordination, capacity building, and ethical guidance rather than regulation. ASEAN's AI governance landscape is characterized by regional cooperation, capacity building, and voluntary frameworks, with national-level regulation left to individual member states.