Jakarta, INTI - Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, has highlighted that the concept of “sovereignty” could become a potential challenge in the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly within the ASEAN region.
Speaking at the Asia Economic Summit 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday, Teo noted that the growing emphasis on AI sovereignty is often interpreted narrowly as a competition over ownership and technological dominance.
“This includes ownership and the race to build or control the entire AI value chain—from chips, models, and data to applications. While this perspective is understandable, it is somewhat unrealistic and may not be helpful for many countries,” Teo said.
She emphasized that sovereignty is a legitimate concern, and each country should be able to use AI in ways that serve its national interests and benefit its citizens.
However, Teo pointed out that the costs involved are extremely high, as the AI ecosystem depends on a highly complex global supply chain. Very few countries can realistically expect to develop or control every layer of this stack independently.
She also noted that many ASEAN countries have competing national priorities, such as aging populations, healthcare demands, and education needs.
Three Approaches to AI Development
Teo outlined three key approaches to AI development: ensuring the ability to use and govern AI in the public interest, maintaining autonomy in choosing partners and technology sources, and strengthening the AI ecosystem through investment in research institutions, developer communities, businesses, and digital talent development.
“These three goals require significant effort to achieve. But they are essential for protecting our citizens and strategic interests, and they must remain our priority,” she said.
ASEAN’s Opportunity in AI Adoption
Teo also emphasized that Southeast Asia is well positioned to accelerate AI adoption across multiple dimensions, including infrastructure development, organizational capabilities, workforce readiness, societal engagement, supportive regulations, and international cooperation.
She observed that more companies are integrating AI into their operations, while the region’s young, digitally connected, and adaptable population is helping drive adoption. Governments across ASEAN are also actively promoting AI skills development and strengthening partnerships with technology companies.
Infrastructure development is also expanding rapidly, with new data center capacity emerging across the region. According to Teo, this capacity is expected to more than triple between 2025 and 2030.
“ASEAN’s strength has never come from uniformity. It has always come from our ability to cooperate despite our differences. As long as ASEAN continues to move forward together, we can achieve far more,” she concluded.
Conclusion
AI adoption in ASEAN requires a balanced approach that acknowledges sovereignty concerns while maintaining regional cooperation and practical collaboration. By strengthening infrastructure, talent, and policy alignment, ASEAN can accelerate AI development and maximize its collective potential.
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