Raising Standards

How to Read This Publication

This publication is a compilation of two subject-matter reports on data and artificial intelligence (AI), respectively. Each report canvasses the landscape in five Southeast Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

While each country chapter can be read on its own, “Setting the context” provides a useful overview to understand the rationale for this project and resulting publication. We recommend starting here if you’ve progressed beyond the Executive Summary.

The first half of this publication centers on the treatment of data, while the second half focuses on AI. Whether you are interested in an overview of the data landscape or AI ethics in any or all of the five profiled countries, every chapter:

  • Canvasses relevant policy and legal frameworks in development or in place;
  • Traces the usage and impact of data and AI on government and society; and
  • Assesses the challenges and prospects of data governance and ethical AI.

There are obvious synergistic ties between data and AI — data feeds and trains AI making it easier, in turn, for AI to detect and analyze patterns from massive troves of data. This connection is made in the country narratives throughout. But the ethical considerations of the data/AI convergence are outlined as recommendations in our Policy Playbook, which you’ll find right in the middle of this publication, bridging the two linked areas conceptually, visibly, and tangibly if you have a printed copy in hand.

This publication is an invitation to a conversation. We hope you’ll enjoy exploring and welcome your feedback.