President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. acknowledged the potential of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence that would contribute meaningfully to the region’s sustainable and people-centered development.
According to a media release from the Presidential Communications Office, President Marcos also commended the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) for its flagship initiative, launching the AI Engagement Platform, recognizing its role in fostering innovation and regional collaboration in the digital age.
“The AI Engagement Platform offers a timely and strategic approach to digital governance across our region,” the President said during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with representatives of ASEAN-BAC at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
The President said that by promoting collaboration on responsible and inclusive AI, the business sector-led platform ensures that technological advancements benefit all segments of society.
“We fully support this initiative and recognize its potential for a future ASEAN Centre of Excellence for AI, built on innovation, ethical standards, and transparency,” President Marcos said.
The President expressed confidence that the AI Center of Excellence could play a pivotal role in shaping an inclusive AI ecosystem—one that empowers people, upholds shared values, and supports the region’s sustainable development goals.
According to the ASEAN-BAC, the regional and national AI Engagement Platforms aim to facilitate coordination among key stakeholders on AI to develop cohesive policies and ensure the region can harness AI’s benefits responsibly and sustainably.
Through these platforms, stakeholders will have the opportunity to collaboratively address the unique challenges facing ASEAN, including its reliance on foreign AI technologies, the early stages of AI policy development, and the need for a more cohesive regional approach in navigating external pressures.
President Marcos also commended the ASEAN Talent Development and Mobility Initiative, another flagship project of the ASEAN-BAC, which aims to strengthen the region’s human capital by prioritizing digital literacy, student mobility, and upskilling.
President Marcos recognized the private sector’s role in advancing the Digital Economy Framework Agreement and thanked the ASEAN-BAC for championing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which comprise most of the region’s businesses.
“We must continue to invest in our people. A digitally literate, adaptable workforce is the foundation for any progress we hope to achieve,” said the President.
