AI adoption surges in Southeast Asia, but safeguards lag — Google, ASEAN report
Artificial intelligence is spreading rapidly across Southeast Asia, but the systems meant to guide and regulate its use remain underdeveloped, according to a new regional report backed by Google’s philanthropic arm.
The study, released by the ASEAN Foundation and Google.org, warns that adoption of AI tools is accelerating faster than governments, schools and institutions can put safeguards in place.
Thus, the researchers underscored that the problem is not whether people in ASEAN are using AI, but whether institutions are equipped to manage it responsibly.
“Across ASEAN, we are seeing AI use grow faster than our systems’ ability to guide it,” said Piti Srisangnam, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation. “These studies move the conversation beyond whether AI is being used to whether our institutions, educators and communities are truly prepared.”
Thailand leads in AI usage
The report points to a widening readiness gap, particularly in education, with surveys conducted across all 10 ASEAN member states showing strong enthusiasm for generative AI tools, especially among younger users.
Of ASEAN’s member countries, Thailand led in AI usage, with adoption concentrated across the digital economy and among the youth. Over 90% of Thai students reportedly use AI tools, particularly for tasks such as writing, summarising and digital design.
In the Philippines, which is hosting the high-stakes ASEAN Summit this year, more than 80% of students surveyed said they use generative AI in their studies, compared with just over 70% of educators. Many students reported relying on AI for writing and paraphrasing tasks.
Yet fewer than half of Filipino educators expressed confidence in their institutions’ AI policies, suggesting that usage is outpacing formal guidance and training.
Overall unpreparedness
The broader regional study highlights uneven digital preparedness across Southeast Asia, including shortfalls in digital skills, cybersecurity capacity and ethical standards for emerging technologies.
Researchers flagged concerns ranging from online fraud and deepfakes to data breaches and misinformation, warning that unchecked misuse could undermine public trust in digital services.
The urgency for improved digital systems comes as ASEAN’s digital economy is projected to expand sharply by the end of the decade, potentially reaching $1 trillion by 2030, fuelled by a young and increasingly connected population of more than 660 million people.
Access to AI tools alone will not be enough, the report argued.
Without clearer policies, stronger governance and sustained investment in literacy and safeguards, Southeast Asia’s fast-moving embrace of AI could prove as fragile as it is rapid.
These were presented in Manila during the third regional policy convening of the AI Ready ASEAN programme, an initiative launched in 2024 with a $5 million grant from Google.org to improve AI literacy across the bloc.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
