Laos Advances AI Governance and National Health AI Initiatives

On January 27, the Government of Laos launched its first AI Ethics Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) Country Report at the National Workshop on Artificial Intelligence in Vientiane, jointly organized by the Ministry of Technology and Communications and UNESCO. The event drew approximately 250 participants from government, UN agencies, development partners, academia, the private sector, and civil society. The RAM report offers an evidence-based diagnostic of Laos' preparedness to govern AI across policy and regulation, institutional coordination, human capacity, infrastructure, and societal impact.

The report indicated that while the country has made progress through initiatives in e-government and digital economy policies, the country continues to face persistent gaps in technology access, skills development, and research capacity. These findings are consistent with Oxford Insights’ Government AI Readiness Index 2025, which ranked Laos 125^th out of 195 countries globally, with an overall score of 29.18, placing it in the lower tier of the East Asia region.

Santisouk Simmalavong, Minister of Technology and Communications, highlighted AI's potential in modernizing Laos' economy, agriculture, education, and governance. The Minister also described the RAM report as a strategic compass for developing homegrown AI solutions that respect Laos' cultural identity and ensure technology's benefits reach every citizen. Following the report's findings, the government announced that its forthcoming National AI Strategy will be guided by the UNESCO ethics framework.

In parallel with national governance efforts, the government is also strengthening bilateral AI cooperation efforts. On February 13, the Ministry of Technology and Communications signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with three Chinese partner companies: 520 Medical Service Sole Co., Ltd., China-ASEAN Information Harbor Co., Ltd., and the Zhenjiang Institute of Advanced Equipment, to conduct a feasibility study on the demonstration and implementation of a National Health Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform. The project, developed under the Belt and Road framework, will explore AI applications in public health management, disease analysis, health screenings, and digitization of medical records, with the healthcare sector identified as the primary field for initial AI deployment.