Malaysia Builds AI Trust Framework Aimed at Regional Adoption Across ASEAN

Malaysia is actively crafting a national artificial intelligence (AI) trust framework designed to reflect the country’s unique societal needs, with ambitions to scale the initiative across the ASEAN region, according to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

The effort is being spearheaded by the National AI Office, which is currently leading consultations with stakeholders across industry, academia, civil society, and government.

This collaborative approach aims to ensure the framework is both inclusive and adaptable—laying the groundwork for regional alignment on responsible and trustworthy AI development.

He expressed:

“Eventually, the framework must grow broader than this. Hence, we are also looking at how we can engage our regional partners and how we can build this kind of ecosystem."

He told the media on the sidelines of PwC Malaysia’s AI Leadership Conference 2025:

“We are hosting the Asean AI Summit in August. During the summit, we propose to raise these issues and talk about how we can develop a framework that will be able to assist Asean to build an AI safety ecosystem moving forward. Now, the question is how can the country craft its own policy, and then escalate it to the Asean level to see whether we can find a mechanism by which all of us can work together. At the end of the day, there are concerns about how we can ensure that systems are safe and trusted. This is something that not only needs to be discussed at the national level, but also beyond that. This is what we hope to achieve moving towards the event in August.”

Malaysia Calls on ASEAN to Develop Shared Principles for AI Trust and Ethical Data Practices

Gobind emphasized Malaysia’s call for deeper ASEAN collaboration to establish shared principles and interoperable frameworks for trusted AI and ethical data governance.

He explained:

“In a region as dynamic and diverse as ours, alignment is not just strategic; it is essential. We believe Malaysia can serve as a testbed for innovation, a regional convener, and a trusted partner in co-developing the governance models that will shape the digital future of South-East Asia.”

He noted that future prosperity increasingly depends on how well nations can transform raw data into reliable, actionable intelligence—driving advancements in areas such as predictive healthcare, personalised education, smart logistics, and precision agriculture.

He added:

“Trust is what gives data its mobility – and mobility gives data its value. Around the world, nations are embedding trust into the architecture of their digital economies.”

While Malaysia is still in the early stages of shaping its own AI trust framework, Gobind stressed that the country is drawing lessons from global best practices while anchoring its approach in national values, socio-economic realities, and regional priorities.

He noted:

“Our aim is (to create) a distinctly Malaysian trust framework – grounded in public legitimacy, adaptable in regulation, and interoperable across borders.”