Japan has set an ambitious goal to be the most AI-friendly country in the world. It sees an opportunity to raise living standards, drive economic efficiency, address social challenges and potentially offset labor shortages due to an aging population by 41%, according to the recent study by Public First, a consulting firm based in London. The country has just enacted a landmark AI law that could set it up well to realize these opportunities. As governments globally grapple with maximizing AI's potential while establishing guardrails, Japan, and a number of peers across Asia, offer measured policy approaches that will allow AI to thrive. These are valuable examples for the world.
For the region more broadly, the opportunity that AI presents is not just immense, it is transformative. The study shows that AI could boost Asia's economy by up to $2.5 trillion over the next decade. It could reshape economies and help the region tackle its most pressing problems. Already, it is helping Japanese manufacturers raise productivity, South Korean creators go global with new formats and languages, Indonesian farmers boost productivity and Singaporean patients detect health issues earlier.
Asia is a region of tech optimists and early tech adopters, and research suggests AI will save workers three hours in administrative tasks every week, and push wages higher by 6%. But these gains are not guaranteed. Success will depend on governments fostering the right environment for AI to thrive.
Governments in the region understand the immense potential of AI and have generally taken a thoughtful approach to AI regulation, working to reduce the risks without stifling innovation.
Japan's AI Promotion Act encourages innovation, with its focus on promoting AI research and human capital development. Its governance structures and mechanisms enable it to take an agile, evidence-based approach to managing AI risks. This framework is intended to facilitate investment and adoption of AI technologies.
Singapore has also taken a pragmatic, pro-innovation approach. It has opted for model governance frameworks to encourage a "race to the top" in AI development and deployment, rather than imposing rigid regulation. This balanced approach supports the growth and dynamism of the AI ecosystem, while fostering trust.
Another hallmark of Singapore's approach is its embrace of public private partnerships to build the AI ecosystem. One of them is Project SEALD (Southeast Asian Languages in One Network Data). We at Google collaborate with the national program, AI Singapore, to enhance datasets that can be used to train, fine-tune, and evaluate LLMs in languages spoken across Southeast Asia. AI Singapore also developed SEA-LION (Southeast Asian Languages In One Network), a family of LLMs built to be more representative of the region's linguistic and cultural nuances. More locally applicable technology could encourage adoption, and bring even more benefits to society.
India has also chosen to foster a pro-innovation environment for AI growth, recognizing its potential to leapfrog economic development. The Indian government has largely supported a self-regulatory approach, while relying on existing laws that are applicable to AI. India's unique pathway is heavily oriented toward applying AI to local needs, inviting proposals from startups, researchers and entrepreneurs to develop indigenous AI models tailored to the nation's specific requirements.
AIREC, an artificial intelligence-driven humanoid robot, demonstrates a maneuver for changing diapers or preventing bedsores with a researcher at Waseda University's laboratory in Tokyo on Feb. 17. © Reuters
ASEAN has created AI Governance and Ethics, which seeks to foster interoperability and coherence in AI governance across Southeast Asia, while allowing space for ASEAN member states to adapt the principles to their local contexts. Japan has also helped to lead the Hiroshima AI Process, which is a voluntary set of principles aimed at ensuring that all AI actors can benefit from the technology by developing, deploying and using it safely and responsibly.
AI is a cross-border technology, and alignment between countries not only allows for seamless adoption of AI solutions, it also helps ensure emerging markets are well placed to benefit from AI. Imagine an AI startup that wants to expand internationally -- the adoption of international standards domestically would eliminate the need to demonstrate compliance with varying regulations across different countries.
Asia is not just participating in the global AI discourse, it is pioneering distinctive and innovative approaches to AI policy and regulation. This is grounded on a deep understanding of the opportunity of AI to unlock a prosperous future for its citizens and solve some of its biggest societal challenges.
Google has consistently said that AI is too important not to regulate, and too important not to regulate well. The thoughtful, forward-thinking models emerging from this region offer compelling examples for global governments grappling with similar challenges. Asian governments are demonstrating how to foster AI's potential responsibly, to harness AI's transformative opportunities for the benefit of all.
