Media Briefing: Unlocking ASEAN’s Digital Future – Driving Inclusive Growth and Global Competitiveness / DAVOS 2025

Summary

This media briefing focused on unlocking ASEAN’s digital future, featuring Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, Christophe de Vusser from Bain and Company, and Joo-Ok Lee from the World Economic Forum. The discussion centered on ASEAN’s transformation into an inclusive and sustainable digital economy, with emphasis on collaboration and innovation.

Prime Minister Ibrahim highlighted two key priorities for ASEAN: establishing an ASEAN energy grid and driving digital transformation across the region. He stressed the importance of substantive economic and technological collaboration among ASEAN nations, moving beyond traditional diplomatic engagement.

Christophe de Vusser outlined three core elements for ASEAN’s future success: strategic investments in AI talent and trust, policy innovation, and increased regional collaboration. He emphasized the need for continued investment in AI infrastructure, upskilling talent, and establishing robust governance frameworks.

Joo-Ok Lee discussed the World Economic Forum’s role in facilitating public-private cooperation to support ASEAN’s digital economy initiatives, particularly the Digital Economy Framework Agreement. He highlighted the importance of sharing information and fostering dialogue between government stakeholders and the private sector.

The panelists agreed on the critical nature of collaboration, not just among ASEAN leaders but also with the private sector and other stakeholders. They emphasized the need for governments to acknowledge limitations and engage with experts to craft appropriate policies and develop necessary infrastructure.

The discussion also touched on the importance of energy infrastructure, talent development, and updating legislation to support digital transformation. The panelists concluded that ASEAN’s collective strength and healthy competition among member states would be crucial in attracting investment and driving innovation in the region.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– ASEAN’s vision for digital transformation and economic collaboration

– Investments needed in AI, talent, and infrastructure to prepare ASEAN for the intelligent age

– The importance of regional collaboration and policy innovation to unlock ASEAN’s potential

– The role of public-private partnerships in driving digital economy agreements and innovation

– Energy infrastructure, particularly a regional energy grid, as a key enabler for digital growth

Overall purpose:

The discussion aimed to highlight ASEAN’s progress and plans for achieving an inclusive and sustainable digital future, with a focus on regional collaboration, technological innovation, and economic integration.

Tone:

The tone was optimistic and forward-looking throughout the discussion. Speakers emphasized the potential for growth and innovation in the ASEAN region, while also acknowledging the challenges that need to be addressed. The conversation maintained a constructive and collaborative tone, with participants building on each other’s points and emphasizing the importance of working together across sectors and countries.

Speakers

– Di Dai: Head of Media Planning at the World Economic Forum

– Joo-Ok Lee: Head of Asia-Pacific from the World Economic Forum

– Christophe De Vusser: Worldwide Managing Partner from Bain and Company

– Anwar Ibrahim: Prime Minister of Malaysia

– Audience: Montai from TNN Thailand (asked questions)

Additional speakers:

– None identified

Unlocking ASEAN’s Digital Future: A Comprehensive Overview

This media briefing on unlocking ASEAN’s digital future brought together key figures including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Christophe de Vusser from Bain and Company, and Joo-Ok Lee from the World Economic Forum. The discussion centered on ASEAN’s transformation into an inclusive and sustainable digital economy, emphasizing collaboration and innovation across the region.

Key Priorities and Strategic Initiatives

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted two primary priorities for ASEAN: establishing an ASEAN energy grid and driving digital transformation across the region. He stressed the importance of substantive economic and technological collaboration among ASEAN nations, moving beyond traditional diplomatic engagement. The Prime Minister noted that the ASEAN energy grid currently covers at least seven countries, demonstrating a commitment to regional infrastructure development.

Christophe de Vusser outlined three core elements for ASEAN’s future success:

1. Strategic investments in AI talent and trust

2. Policy innovation

3. Increased regional collaboration

De Vusser emphasized the need for continued investment in AI infrastructure, upskilling talent, and establishing robust governance frameworks. He noted that ASEAN had already made significant strides, with $30 billion invested in AI infrastructure in 2024, and stressed the importance of maintaining this momentum.

Joo-Ok Lee discussed the World Economic Forum’s role in facilitating public-private cooperation to support ASEAN’s digital economy initiatives, particularly the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). Lee highlighted the potential for ASEAN to lead globally in digital economy policy, positioning DEFA as a groundbreaking initiative that could set a new standard for regional cooperation. Lee also mentioned the World Economic Forum’s online repository for ASEAN member states to reference existing digital agreements.

Collaboration and Public-Private Partnerships

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the critical nature of collaboration, not just among ASEAN leaders but also with the private sector and other stakeholders. Prime Minister Ibrahim emphasized the importance of engaging with experts to craft appropriate policies and develop necessary infrastructure, acknowledging the limitations of government expertise in rapidly evolving technological fields. He stressed the need for humility in recognizing these limitations and the value of stakeholder engagement.

The panelists agreed that public-private partnerships would be crucial in driving innovation and shaping effective policies for the digital economy. They stressed the need for governments to work closely with industry leaders, academia, and international organizations to identify talent needs, shape university curricula, and develop robust governance frameworks for AI and digital technologies.

Infrastructure and Resource Development

The discussion highlighted the importance of infrastructure development, particularly in energy and digital connectivity, as key enablers for ASEAN’s digital growth. Prime Minister Ibrahim’s proposal for an ASEAN energy grid was seen as a concrete step towards regional integration and sustainable development.

De Vusser emphasized the need for continued investments in AI infrastructure and data centers, linking these to the availability of reliable energy sources. The conversation also touched on the potential role of nuclear power in meeting the growing energy demands of digital infrastructure in ASEAN countries, though this was in response to an audience question rather than part of the main discussion.

Talent and Skill Development

Upskilling talent in the ASEAN region for AI and digital literacy was identified as a critical factor for success. The speakers emphasized the need for collaboration between universities, the private sector, and governments to develop relevant skills and create centers of excellence for research and innovation.

Prime Minister Ibrahim highlighted the importance of identifying specific talent requirements for AI and digital industries, suggesting that ASEAN countries could share knowledge and expertise, particularly in areas like the semiconductor industry.

Regional Economic Integration

The discussion underscored ASEAN’s collective strength in attracting investments and driving innovation. Speakers emphasized the need for increased intra-trade investments and a focus on inclusivity and sustainability. They also addressed the challenge of balancing foreign direct investment (FDI) across ASEAN countries, suggesting that healthy competition among member states could be beneficial if managed properly.

De Vusser highlighted the QR system for regional payment as an example of successful regional collaboration. Prime Minister Ibrahim stressed the importance of supply chains and local company involvement in the digital transformation process.

Policy and Regulatory Framework

The need for updated legislation to support digital transformation was a key point of discussion. Prime Minister Ibrahim stressed the importance of adapting legal frameworks to accommodate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and digital technologies. The proposed Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) was highlighted as a potential milestone in creating a cohesive regional approach to digital economy regulation.

Prime Minister Ibrahim also mentioned Malaysia’s recent and upcoming Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), emphasizing their importance in the context of regional economic integration and digital transformation.

Conclusion

The discussion painted an optimistic picture of ASEAN’s digital future, emphasizing the region’s potential for growth and innovation. The speakers agreed on the importance of collaboration, strategic investments, and policy innovation in unlocking ASEAN’s digital potential. While challenges were acknowledged, the overall tone was constructive and forward-looking, with a clear emphasis on the need for coordinated action across public and private sectors to achieve ASEAN’s digital ambitions.

Key takeaways and action items included the development of an ASEAN energy grid, acceleration of AI-driven connectivity, creation of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, and establishment of National AI Offices. These initiatives, coupled with a focus on talent development and infrastructure investment, form the foundation of ASEAN’s strategy for becoming a leader in the global digital economy.

The summary also noted the upcoming ASEAN leaders’ meeting at Davos to discuss regional strength, as mentioned by Joo-Ok Lee, and referenced the annual report on ASEAN’s digital economy produced by Bain, Temasek, and Google, highlighting the ongoing efforts to track and support the region’s digital progress.

Di Dai: Good afternoon. Welcome to this media briefing on unlocking ASEAN’s digital future. We are broadcasting live here in Davos, Switzerland, at the annual meeting 2025. Welcome everybody in the room and welcome our online audience following us via the livestream. Please don’t hesitate to engage with us with the hashtag WEF25. A big welcome to the panelists as well. Thank you for being here. So today we are here to share the latest progress in ASEAN’s transformation into an inclusive and sustainable digital future. The outlook is one vision, one identity, and one community. Despite global challenges and geopolitical tensions, progress is being made to achieve this vision. My name is Di Dai. I’m the head of media planning at the World Economic Forum. It’s my honor to introduce this distinguished panel. Let me introduce first Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. His Excellency Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, welcome Prime Minister to returning Davos after 30 years. To his left is Mr. Christophe de Vusser, worldwide managing partner from Bain and Company. And to his left is my colleague Mr. Joo-Ok Lee, head of Asia-Pacific from the World Economic Forum. Without further ado, I’m delighted to welcome the Prime Minister to open the floor to give his opening remarks and also to share his vision and thoughts. As Malaysia takes the ASEAN chair this year, what is your vision and the strategy for the ASEAN 2045? Prime Minister, please.

Anwar Ibrahim: Thank you. As you know, the ASEAN consensus among leaders has been to ensure that it goes beyond normal diplomatic engagement, but to ensure that the intra-trade investments increase and the priority in terms of inclusivity and sustainability that we’ve talked about should begin with an ASEAN energy grid, which covers at least seven countries within ASEAN now. And then a second priority is, of course, digital transformation within ASEAN, which means AI-driven connectivity to take into consideration of the various gaps between those in the urban centres with more connectivity to the less developed areas. But our commitment is to make sure that this sort of transmission and also transformation of digital would cover all areas and angles. If these two priorities are achieved, I think it would be a phenomenal feat for ASEAN as a region because, as you know, it is a relatively most peaceful region in the world and fastest growing economy, but we have not given emphasis to substantive economic or technological collaboration. And the consensus that we have achieved, therefore, to my mind, is a very important radical departure from the conventional view of ASEAN leaders in the past, and this is, of course, where the experts would have to give an input because we are not starting from zero, of course, but we are embarking aggressively now until we meet in May together with the GAF Council, GCC, and possibly with the participation of China and the United States. And then, to expand and accelerate the process to make sure that by October, soon after APEC in South Korea – I don’t know whether they can still have it in Korea, right – then the APEC in Kuala Lumpur would certainly be able to see substantive results. And I think, in my communication with my colleagues, we all want to make a difference. It’s no longer a pious platitude about collaboration, but substantive in these two issues. Thank you.

Di Dai: Thank you very much, Prime Minister. Thank you for sharing all these very valuable insights with us. Now, I would like to ask Christophe. As many companies, Bain sees also AI as a game-changer to transform the business and industries. So, could you tell us how the ASEAN region can prepare for an intelligent age, as it’s also the theme of this annual meeting, and what measures should be taken to position ASEAN as a thriving hub for innovation and for startups? Thank you.

Christophe De Vusser: Thanks a lot, and it’s been an honor for us to work together with the GAF on this report. And of course, the Asian region has made significant strides already. If we look into what will be required in the future for the Asian region to continue to thrive, we see three core elements. It’s strategic investments that will be required in the AI talent and trust site. The second one, we see some opportunities for further policy innovation that will enable it. And the third one is, as you were mentioning, as Prime Minister, is the increased collaboration between the region. So, let me quickly cover the three topics on the investments on the AI side. We think it’s critical that the region has made great strides and good investment, 30 billion of investments in AI infrastructure in 2024. And we think that will be critical to continue those investments in the future. That, of course, goes together with what you were saying around an Asian energy grid that can enable the data centers and that will enable the investments going forward in the region. So, a lot of the value that will come through AI will not be only in the large language models or in the cloud infrastructure, will be driven by the application layer, where there can be a lot of innovation driven in the Asian country. The second of the investment is continue to invest in upskilling the talent in the Asian region. As you work through the investments and the applications on the investment, there will be need for digital literacy, there will be need for AI ethics, there will be need for a whole series of technical skills that will be required. And we see good progress on several of those initiatives. And the third one, of course, the world of AI can only work with the right governance and security layer. There will be collaboration needed to have robust frameworks to enable the innovation and still make sure that the trust will be there in deploying it across the different countries. So, the second one after the investment in the AI, in the talent and in the trust is the policy side. We think that AI and creating a digital economy requires a healthy capital market that allows for venture capital. And so working together in the region to enable investments to create a healthy and stimulate further a healthy venture capital market is going to be critical. And as you do so, there needs to be an exit point for venture capital. And so collaborating and making sure that there’s healthy stock markets where the innovators can exit and the venture capital can exit to will be critical as well. So creating such a robust ecosystem and healthy capital markets in collaboration in the region we think will be critical as well. And the final piece on the collaboration side, next to the energy grid, next to the talent upskilling, et cetera, we also believe that there is a significant amount of application and solutions that you can pilot across the region. What we like is, for instance, the QR system for regional payment. We think these are great initiatives where you can drive the scale of the regions to build the innovation and to scale the innovation. And so we’re actually very excited about the prospects of the region, one of the fastest growing in the world, already doing significant investments. And I think there’s a clear pathway with the initiatives that you’re doing and what we’re seeing at the global level to double down on both the investment side, the policy side and the collaboration side. We’re very excited about the opportunities that the region provides.

Di Dai: Thank you very much, Christophe. It’s very exciting to have these three key elements happening in ASEAN. Now, last but not least, asking Joo-Ok, as the forum, a global platform for collaboration, what can the forum do to contribute and to bridge the gap and to help ASEAN to achieve this goal?

Joo-Ok Lee: So, thank you for those questions, Di Dai. From the forum side, we have long been hoping and waiting to really shed more light on what is happening in the region, and especially given the global context, what exciting leadership prospects can we expect from ASEAN? And we feel that one of the most important areas is, of course, as the Prime Minister mentioned, energy and other topics, but also digital economy. And the fact that we have the chair of ASEAN together leading a very strong delegation from Malaysia is very encouraging. And we hope to use that opportunity and your presence to really showcase the progress that has been made, as well as the conclusion, hopefully, of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement under Malaysia’s chairmanship. From the forum side, as an international organization for public-private collaboration, we feel that there is much to be gained by forging further public-private cooperation to not only have the world’s first ever regional digital economy agreement in ASEAN, but also to have that as a high-ambition, inclusive agreement. So, from the forum side, we are working, of course, with our partners, Bain and company, and others in the region, to make sure that the negotiators themselves are fed with all the latest information and trends around the different technology areas, and also that there are sufficient dialogues amongst the government stakeholders and the private sector, so that we’re not only going for the low-hanging fruits, but really something that can chart a path towards other regions in following ASEAN’s example. So, we’re very proud to have the strong support of both Malaysia, as well as the other ASEAN member states, but also to have this project that focuses on really enhancing the ambition, and also technically really having a sound agreement on the ground. But at the same time, as a global platform, we are trying to also shed further light on what is happening in the region, and I think Christophe was a little bit too modest not to mention too much about the report, but Bain and company, together with Temasek and Google, every year produce an excellent report that focuses on the region’s digital economy, and the fact that we can actually talk about it, study some of the exciting findings that come out every year here in Davos, I think would also be of benefit to other regional leaders as they follow a similar path going forward.

Di Dai: Thank you very much, Joo-Ok. I think all of our panelists mentioned many times the world collaboration. So, Prime Minister, in your opinion, what can ASEAN leaders do to forge this collaboration? It’s already ASEAN as one community is quite strong, but we can always do better. In your opinion, what could be done to unlock ASEAN’s full potential?

Anwar Ibrahim: Well, the collaboration, as far as I’m concerned, the humility to acknowledge that this is a new technology, challenging, we don’t have all the answers, and therefore the collaboration must begin with the stakeholders, with the players. Bain, all the companies from the States, from China, we must therefore continue to engage to make sure that we craft the correct policies. That’s very important. So, when we have, for example, the National AI Office, the task is therefore not to come with prescriptions, it’s to get all the input necessary, what needs to be done, of course, the ecosystem. The ecosystem includes airports, ports, infrastructure, centers of excellence, research, collaboration with universities. So, collaboration, to me, includes not only collaboration among leaders of ASEAN, but the private sector. This is an area which requires governments and the ruling elite to acknowledge their limitations and to understand if we are to succeed, they must be involved in every sector. For example, what type of facility do you require in the center of excellence, in the universities? How do you collaborate to get all these companies to be involved, to identify what they need, what talents they require? And this is not an answer the universities can give, except if they collaborate with the private sector. Of course, we have been doing it, but I don’t think we have done it in a radical manner, to appreciate the urgent need for this reform. And then, of course, to really supply chains, because otherwise, it is just an implant from totally a foreign entity, and just getting the best in terms of cheap energy and cheap water. Of course, that is untenable politically. So, we have the requirements, yes, water, resources, and also the grid, because that would give this comfort to the potential investors, that for the next 10 years, you don’t have a problem with the energy requirement, which is a phenomenal increase. But to my mind, more important still is the talent and to identify those companies, local companies that could be reliable in terms of supply chains. We are fortunate in Malaysia, in terms of semiconductor, because they have been there 30 years. years or more, but we should share this, and one of the things we have done, taking into account of the request from Indonesia, Philippines, and Brunei, for example, to get their team to come and share from our limited experience, and I’ve asked Singapore to do likewise, particularly when they have Johor-Singapore economic zone. So collaboration must start with the private sector with the players that have the expertise, then collaboration with the governments because the legislation must be up to date. We can’t have, for example, an obsolete legislation to deal with more challenging. Minister Gobind is here, for example, in terms of digital. We take all the latest pieces of legislation all over the world and adjust accordingly and push through. Fortunately, we have two-thirds majority in Parliament. That helps immensely because people will see. So the array of things that we need to do to give meaning to effective collaboration and clarity of policies and effective, fast pace of implementation.

Di Dai: Thank you so much, Prime Minister. Also, Christophe, Prime Minister has shared on the leadership, ASEAN leader perspective in the business perspective as an industry leader. Do you have any recommendations, advice to your peers?

Christophe De Vusser: No, what I said is what they actually politely criticize us in terms of what we need to do. So actually, we take into account the legislation they took into account, the infrastructure, the talent, and also the supply chain. And I think you’re right to pull out the need on the energy side because what we see around the world is if you want to build the skills and the technology in the region and in the individual countries, energy will be a core factor in order to drive this. And therefore, having a grid where everybody has the comfort that there will be enough energy, it will be available to everybody, it will be affordable also outside of the industry will be a critical part. And energy, and regional energy, and local energy is going to be one of the great powers in order to enable the AI infrastructure in the region.

Di Dai: Thank you very much. We have some media in the room. I’d like to open the floor to questions. Please state your name and organization and please keep the questions relevant to today’s briefing. So we have a microphone. Thank you.

Audience: Hello, I’m Montai from TNN Thailand. I’d like to ask the Prime Minister of Malaysia two questions. The first question is, are you considering to promote nuclear power, especially SMR, recently? And the second question, we have now seen the industrial relocation and digital infrastructure explode in ASEAN country and Malaysia want the money, Thailand want the FDI and money. How could we find a fairly balance of the situation while we are still need FDI?

Anwar Ibrahim: Well, in the first place, the nuclear requirement is accepted, although to us it’s not that pressing looking at the potential from Sarawak and solar and also the grid, but notwithstanding, just to make sure, because the data centers is huge and in every meeting there’s no new requirements and people have been suggesting they want to put up and I don’t want to frustrate them because that’s part of the overall AI requirements. Which means that the nuclear option is there, I know Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia have embarked on this and I’m trying to get us to work together so that we have a better bargaining position. Now, on the issue of FDIs, we all attract over the data centers, but I think because we are coordinating well, I mean, to me, it’s not an issue because there’s a lot of interest into Malaysia, into Thailand, into Indonesia and of course Singapore is quite saturated in that sense. I don’t see that as a problem whatsoever. I mean, we are in coordination. Of course, sometimes they joke, some of these companies prefer Malaysia or some Thailand, but I think the potential is just enormous.

Di Dai: Yes, Joo-Ok please come in.

Joo-Ok Lee: If I could just add from the forum side also an announcement that tomorrow, His Excellency, the Prime Minister will be joined by other ASEAN leaders and experts specifically looking into why ASEAN is actually stronger together rather than sort of beggar-thy-neighbor approach that we see. I think ASEAN will really demonstrate that healthy competition and also collective strength in this respect. But if I could just very quickly go back to the Prime Minister when he made the point of learning from what is already out there and also building on top of that, I think, going back to the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, that is specifically what the region and ASEAN member states are doing. They are, of course, charting the path forward, but at the same time, there are many trade agreements that have digital chapters. There are some, maybe not regional digital economy agreements, but some existing agreements. And the forum also has been quite, I think, fortunate in terms of partnering to create an online repository for all of the ASEAN member states so that they can actually reference and learn and build on what already exists, but also adapt it towards ASEAN’s context and come up with this first ever regional digital economy agreement. So I wanted to also slide in a bit of PR on the project that we’re running there.

Anwar Ibrahim: DEFA is, of course, critical. You see the list of our priorities, but also FTAs. We just signed last week with UAE, and CPTPP with UK, and then now we want to have a fast track with the EU FTA, because that would help, because a very important component was missing in all the previous FTAs is, of course, digital.

Di Dai: Thank you. Thank you so much. Unfortunately, we are out of time. In case you have further questions, please do feel free to reach out to me and we can pass on to the panelists. Sincere thank you to all of our speakers for their time and for all the valuable insights. We hope you will enjoy the rest of the annual meeting program, and we will see you online or in the Congress Center. Thank you very much. Bye-bye. Thank you.

Agreement Points

Importance of digital transformation in ASEAN

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Christophe De Vusser
– Joo-Ok Lee

arguments

ASEAN energy grid and digital connectivity as key priorities

Strategic investments needed in AI talent and trust

Digital Economy Framework Agreement as a milestone

summary

All speakers emphasized the critical role of digital transformation in ASEAN’s future development and economic growth.

Need for regional collaboration

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Christophe De Vusser
– Joo-Ok Lee

arguments

Sharing experiences and expertise among ASEAN members

Increased collaboration between ASEAN countries

ASEAN’s collective strength in attracting investments

summary

Speakers agreed on the importance of collaboration among ASEAN countries to achieve common goals and leverage collective strengths.

Investment in infrastructure and energy

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Christophe De Vusser

arguments

Development of ASEAN energy grid

Investments in AI infrastructure and data centers

Importance of energy availability for AI development

summary

Both speakers stressed the need for significant investments in energy infrastructure and data centers to support digital transformation.

Talent development and upskilling

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Christophe De Vusser

arguments

Collaboration with universities and private sector for talent development

Upskilling talent in the ASEAN region for AI and digital literacy

summary

Speakers agreed on the necessity of developing and upskilling talent to meet the demands of the digital economy.

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the importance of private sector involvement in shaping policies and driving economic growth in the digital era.

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Christophe De Vusser

arguments

Collaboration with private sector crucial for policy-making

Need for healthy capital markets and venture capital

Both speakers highlighted the importance of knowledge sharing and cooperation among ASEAN countries and between public and private sectors.

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Joo-Ok Lee

arguments

Sharing experiences and expertise among ASEAN members

Public-private cooperation for high-ambition agreements

Unexpected Consensus

Consideration of nuclear power

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim

arguments

Consideration of nuclear power options

explanation

The Prime Minister’s openness to considering nuclear power options for meeting energy demands was unexpected, given the typically controversial nature of this topic.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The speakers demonstrated strong agreement on the importance of digital transformation, regional collaboration, infrastructure investment, and talent development in ASEAN.

Consensus level

High level of consensus among speakers, indicating a unified vision for ASEAN’s digital future. This alignment suggests potential for coordinated efforts in implementing digital strategies across the region.

Different Viewpoints

Unexpected Differences

Overall Assessment

summary

No significant areas of disagreement were identified among the speakers.

difference_level

The level of disagreement appears to be minimal. The speakers demonstrated a high degree of alignment in their views on ASEAN’s digital transformation strategy, regional collaboration, infrastructure development, and talent development. This alignment suggests a strong foundation for implementing the discussed initiatives and policies across the ASEAN region.

Partial Agreements

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers emphasized the importance of private sector involvement in shaping policies and driving economic growth in the digital era.

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Christophe De Vusser

arguments

Collaboration with private sector crucial for policy-making

Need for healthy capital markets and venture capital

Both speakers highlighted the importance of knowledge sharing and cooperation among ASEAN countries and between public and private sectors.

speakers

– Anwar Ibrahim
– Joo-Ok Lee

arguments

Sharing experiences and expertise among ASEAN members

Public-private cooperation for high-ambition agreements

Key Takeaways

ASEAN is focusing on digital transformation and regional energy grid development as key priorities

Collaboration between governments, private sector, and academia is crucial for ASEAN’s digital future

Strategic investments in AI infrastructure, talent, and trust frameworks are needed

ASEAN aims to create a Digital Economy Framework Agreement as a milestone for regional cooperation

Balancing competition and collective strength is important for attracting FDI across ASEAN countries

Resolutions and Action Items

Develop an ASEAN energy grid covering at least seven countries

Accelerate AI-driven connectivity across urban and rural areas

Create a Digital Economy Framework Agreement under Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship

Increase intra-trade investments within ASEAN

Update legislation to accommodate digital economy needs

Establish National AI Offices to gather input from stakeholders

Pursue Free Trade Agreements with digital components (e.g., EU FTA)

Unresolved Issues

Specific implementation details for the ASEAN energy grid

Exact measures to balance FDI attraction among ASEAN countries

Concrete steps for developing AI talent across the region

Specific policies to stimulate venture capital markets in ASEAN

Suggested Compromises

Sharing experiences and expertise among ASEAN members to support less developed areas

Coordinating FDI attraction efforts to avoid harmful competition between ASEAN countries

Considering nuclear power options while exploring renewable energy sources

Balancing local talent development with attracting foreign expertise in AI and digital sectors

As you know, the ASEAN consensus among leaders has been to ensure that it goes beyond normal diplomatic engagement, but to ensure that the intra-trade investments increase and the priority in terms of inclusivity and sustainability that we’ve talked about should begin with an ASEAN energy grid, which covers at least seven countries within ASEAN now.

speaker

Anwar Ibrahim

reason

This comment introduces a concrete, ambitious goal for ASEAN collaboration that goes beyond typical diplomatic rhetoric. The idea of an ASEAN energy grid is a tangible project that could have far-reaching impacts on regional integration and development.

impact

This set the tone for the rest of the discussion, focusing on practical, large-scale initiatives for regional cooperation. It led to further discussion of digital transformation and infrastructure needs.

We think it’s critical that the region has made great strides and good investment, 30 billion of investments in AI infrastructure in 2024. And we think that will be critical to continue those investments in the future.

speaker

Christophe De Vusser

reason

This comment provides specific data on AI investments in the region, highlighting the scale of current efforts and the need for continued investment. It brings a concrete, business-oriented perspective to the discussion.

impact

This shifted the conversation towards the practical aspects of implementing digital transformation, including talent development, policy needs, and capital markets. It added depth to the discussion by introducing specific areas for focus beyond just broad goals.

The collaboration must begin with the stakeholders, with the players. Bain, all the companies from the States, from China, we must therefore continue to engage to make sure that we craft the correct policies. That’s very important.

speaker

Anwar Ibrahim

reason

This comment emphasizes the importance of public-private collaboration and international cooperation in developing effective policies for digital transformation. It shows a recognition of the complexity of the challenges and the need for diverse expertise.

impact

This comment broadened the scope of the discussion from government-led initiatives to a more inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach. It led to further discussion on the role of private sector expertise and the need for governments to acknowledge their limitations.

From the forum side, as an international organization for public-private collaboration, we feel that there is much to be gained by forging further public-private cooperation to not only have the world’s first ever regional digital economy agreement in ASEAN, but also to have that as a high-ambition, inclusive agreement.

speaker

Joo-Ok Lee

reason

This comment introduces the concept of a regional digital economy agreement for ASEAN, positioning it as a potentially groundbreaking initiative. It highlights the role of international organizations in facilitating such agreements.

impact

This comment shifted the discussion towards concrete policy initiatives, specifically the Digital Economy Framework Agreement. It led to further elaboration on how ASEAN can lead globally in digital economy policy.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by moving it from broad aspirations for ASEAN collaboration to specific, actionable initiatives in energy and digital transformation. They highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships, the need for continued investment in AI and digital infrastructure, and the potential for ASEAN to lead globally in digital economy policy. The discussion evolved from high-level goals to practical considerations of implementation, including policy needs, talent development, and infrastructure requirements. Throughout, there was an emphasis on the unique strengths of the ASEAN region and the potential for it to become a leader in the digital economy through collaborative efforts.

How can ASEAN countries collaborate to create a regional energy grid?

speaker

Anwar Ibrahim

explanation

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of an ASEAN energy grid as a priority for the region’s digital transformation and sustainability efforts.

What specific measures can be taken to ensure AI-driven connectivity reaches less developed areas within ASEAN?

speaker

Anwar Ibrahim

explanation

The Prime Minister mentioned the need to address gaps in connectivity between urban centers and less developed areas as part of ASEAN’s digital transformation.

How can ASEAN countries collaborate to create a healthy venture capital market and robust stock markets for tech startups?

speaker

Christophe De Vusser

explanation

Christophe highlighted the importance of healthy capital markets and venture capital for enabling AI innovation and digital economy growth in the region.

What specific initiatives can be implemented to upskill talent in ASEAN countries for AI and digital technologies?

speaker

Christophe De Vusser

explanation

Christophe emphasized the need for continued investment in upskilling talent in areas such as digital literacy and AI ethics.

How can ASEAN countries collaborate to develop robust governance and security frameworks for AI?

speaker

Christophe De Vusser

explanation

Christophe mentioned the need for collaboration on governance and security frameworks to enable innovation while ensuring trust in AI deployment.

What steps can be taken to enhance public-private cooperation in developing ASEAN’s Digital Economy Framework Agreement?

speaker

Joo-Ok Lee

explanation

Joo-Ok emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration in creating a high-ambition, inclusive digital economy agreement for the region.

How can ASEAN countries better collaborate with private sector companies to identify talent needs and shape university curricula?

speaker

Anwar Ibrahim

explanation

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of involving the private sector in identifying talent requirements and shaping education to meet industry needs.

What measures can be taken to develop local supply chains to support the growth of the AI and digital economy in ASEAN?

speaker

Anwar Ibrahim

explanation

The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of developing local supply chains to support foreign investments and ensure political sustainability.

How can ASEAN countries update their legislation to better support AI and digital economy development?

speaker

Anwar Ibrahim

explanation

The Prime Minister mentioned the need for up-to-date legislation to deal with the challenges of AI and digital technologies.

What role can nuclear power, particularly Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), play in meeting ASEAN’s growing energy needs for digital infrastructure?

speaker

Audience member (Montai from TNN Thailand)

explanation

The question raised the potential of nuclear power to meet the increasing energy demands of digital infrastructure in ASEAN countries.