ASEAN: Adopted ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics including Testing Requirements

On 2 February 2024, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Digital Ministers' Meeting (ADGMIN) adopted the Guide on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance and Ethics, including testing requirements to be followed to ensure the development of trustworthy systems. The guide is addressed to entities developing and deploying commercial AI systems and non-military or dual-use applications. In regard to the governance framework, the guide includes recommendations for risk assessments for determining the level of human involvement in AI-augmented decision-making processes. In terms of operations management, the guide emphasises the iterative nature of the AI system lifecycle. Entities are advised to conduct risk-based assessments before initiating any data collection, processing, or modelling activities. It also emphasises the importance of mitigating risks associated with unjust bias due to inadequately representative datasets. Lastly, the guide includes an AI risk impact assessment template that entities could follow to ensure the responsible development and deployment of AI systems within the ASEAN region.