Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam have recently issued new AI guidelines and standards, advancing implementation of their national AI frameworks and related objectives. On March 10, Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology issued Circular No. 05/2026/TT-BKHCN on the National Artificial Intelligence Ethics Framework to guide AI research, development, deployment, and use and to support implementation of the Law on Artificial Intelligence. While the framework is binding on state agencies and public service providers, it is encouraged that foreign organizations apply its principles. Malaysia has similarly sought to advance its overall AI governance ecosystem, with the launch of the MY-AI Standards platform on March 16 framework to address risks such as deepfakes and misinformation.
Meanwhile, Indonesia and Singapore have issued sector-specific AI guidelines for the education, healthcare, and legal sectors in March. Indonesia’s joint ministerial decree on the use of AI and digital technology in education serves to support children’s AI readiness in a phased manner while minimizing potential risks. Singapore’s new Guide for Using Generative AI in the Legal Sector and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Guidelines (AIHGle 2.0) serve as part of broader efforts to promote safe and responsible AI use, building on previous non-binding guidelines to address sector-specific use cases and potential concerns. Taken together, these announcements reflect a shared understanding of the nuances of AI opportunities and potential risks depending on specific applications.
