Media reported that Southeast Asian countries are taking a business-friendly approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI), citing an internal ASEAN draft. The draft, called "Guidelines on the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence," could frustrate the EU's push to establish unified global rules. In July this year, the European Union pushed for stricter artificial intelligence rules, but Asian countries responded coldly.
According to reports, the draft is being circulated to technology companies for feedback and is expected to be finalized during the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting at the end of January 2024. Companies that have received the draft include Alphabet (GOOGL.US), Meta (META.US), and IBM (IBM.US).
According to the current version of the draft, ASEAN's AI guidelines require companies to consider cultural differences across countries and that there are no unacceptable risk categories. The report pointed out that, like all ASEAN policies, these potential rules are voluntary and designed to guide domestic regulation.
Tech industry executives say ASEAN's relatively hands-off approach is more business-friendly because it limits compliance requirements and allows for more innovation in a region where local laws are already complex.
The guidance also reportedly recommends that companies establish an AI risk assessment framework and AI governance training, but leaves the specifics to companies and local regulators.
Additionally, the guidance warns of the risks of AI being used for disinformation, deepfakes and impersonation. However, the guidance leaves it to individual countries to decide how best to respond.
“We see this as setting up ‘guardrails’ for safer artificial intelligence,” one official said. "We still need innovation."
Senior officials from three ASEAN countries have reportedly stated that they are optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence in Southeast Asia and believe that the EU has set regulations too quickly before fully understanding the harms and benefits of the technology.
Other Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea have taken a similarly lax approach to AI regulation, casting doubt on the EU's ambitions to establish global AI governance standards.
A spokesman for the European Commission said: "We will not seek complete harmonization as we take into account cultural differences, however, we believe that the basic principles are important."
EU officials said the bloc would continue discussions with Southeast Asian countries to agree on broader principles.
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