In the context of rapid advancements of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its increasing application across various sectors of social life, including the fields of defence and security, on 26 February 2025, in Penang (Malaysia), ASEAN Defence Ministers adopted a joint statement on cooperation in the field of AI in the defence sector, aiming to ensure regional security and stability. Alongside challenges to be confronted with, the fundamentals and impacts of this cooperation have drawn considerable international attention.
Main contents of the joint statement
With its enormous potential and advantages, AI is being researched, developed, and applied by many countries around the world. In the military and defence sector, AI is currently being used in areas, such as big data processing, target recognition, threat monitoring and situational assessment, smart weapons development, cybersecurity, and logistics and technical support for military operations, etc. To keep up with the global AI race, on 26 February 2025, at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM-Retreat) held in Penang, Malaysia, the joint statement on cooperation in the field of AI in the defence sector was adopted.
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| ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat |
According to the joint statement, ASEAN militaries will strengthen cooperation in the governance, development, and use of AI by (1) Recognising the dual-use nature of AI, reaffirming the significant potential and transformative role of AI as a major catalyst for technological advancement and innovation in the defence sector;
(2) Promoting the accountable and responsible use of AI in the defence sector and ensuring that accountability and responsibility can never be transferred to machines, consistent with international law, including the international humanitarian law, ASEAN relevant instruments, ethical guidelines, governance approaches, and frameworks related to the application of AI in the defence sector while fostering inclusivity in the advancement of AI and progressively bridging the existing disparities in AI among ASEAN member states;
(3) Promoting cooperation and collaborative initiatives aimed at enhancing the technological capabilities of ASEAN defence establishment such as by exchanging best practices and lessons learned, knowledge-sharing activities, transfer of technology on mutually agreed terms, technical assistance, training and joint research;
(4) Developing cooperation in the field of AI in the defence sector in order to strengthen and build collective AI knowledge and capacity, including under the ASEAN Cyber Defence Network, ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence, and the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Groups (EWGs) on Cyber Security while encouraging ADMM-Plus EWGs to incorporate AI into their works and discussions, where appropriate, to coordinate efforts in leveraging the advantages of AI while proactively addressing its risks and implications; and
(5) Recognising the need to implement appropriate safeguards, including measures that relate to human judgement and control over the use of force, to ensure the responsible application of AI in the military domain/defence sector consistent with their respective obligations under applicable international law.
According to international observers, ASEAN countries are still in their infancy when it comes to the research, development, and application of AI in the defence sector. Among them, Singapore is considered as a pioneer, having established the Defence Science and Technology Agency, the Cybersecurity Agency, and the ASEAN - Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence. Currently, ASEAN and Japan are also advancing a plan to cooperate on AI and cybersecurity which aim to improve AI governance and operation and to promote digital economy development and early warning systems for natural disasters. Over the next five years, Japan will support ASEAN in training approximately 100,000 digital and semiconductor experts. In addition, ASEAN is expanding its cooperation with Germany and Turkey through ADMM-Plus EWGs to promote the application of AI in the defence sector.
Difficulties and challenges
Although ASEAN has made significant progress in the research, development, and application of AI in the defence sector, researchers believe that ASEAN countries still face numerous difficulties and challenges.
First, disparities in development level. In reality, there is a considerable gap in AI development among ASEAN countries. At present, only Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia (the leading countries in the region in terms of AI workforce development) exceed the Asia-Pacific average standards in data governance and cybersecurity. Second, a shortage of high-quality human resources, especially in digital technology. According to some statistics, around 61% of ASEAN youths aged 10 to 24 have not received digital education in schools; many information technology graduates also lack specialised AI skills, particularly in areas, such as natural language processing, explainability and model architecture, etc. Besides, the education systems in several ASEAN countries have not kept up with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Students often have difficulty in accessing AI knowledge because of limited English proficiency. Many universities still focus on traditional IT education and fail to meet the actual needs of businesses or the AI job market. Additionally, ASEAN is also facing a “brain drain” of AI professionals, as many of them seek better job opportunities abroad. Third, lack of synchronisation in data protection standards. There is a fact that ASEAN does not have a unified set of standards for AI security. Only Singapore and Malaysia have enacted personal data protection laws, while other members are still in the process of developing their legal frameworks. This creates obstacles for implementing cross-border AI systems or collaborative AI development projects. Furthermore, varying levels of technological infrastructure and legal frameworks among member countries increase the risk of data leaks, unauthorised access, or data misuse, when information is shared across borders. Fourth, ethical and legal challenges. As AI rapidly advances and becomes more widely applied, the lack of understanding about AI technology and ethics has become a major concern. While many skilled technical experts have limited knowledge of ethics, law, or social issues, experts in ethics or law may lack sufficient understanding of AI, making it difficult to evaluate risks accurately and provide well-informed recommendations.
Positive impacts and emerging issues
According to international researchers, the increasing cooperation among ASEAN militaries in governing, researching, developing, and using AI in the defence sector will have a significant influence on the regional security landscape.
Regarding positive impacts: (1) This cooperation will contribute to building a peaceful and stable environment in the region. Accordingly, ASEAN militaries can implement cooperation programs and projects for responsible research, development, and use of AI in the military and defence sectors, in accordance with the values and interests of the Association. At the same time, it demonstrates transparency, accountability, human oversight and promotes trust-building measures and approaches to addressing regional security challenges, thereby shaping rules and norms to guide the use of AI for military and defence purposes. (2) Enhancing situational awareness across domains and reducing the risk of miscalculation. The use of AI for real-time detection, early warning, and timely response to situations in the air, maritime, and cyber domains is a critical issue in the current context. This not only helps commanders make suitable decisions, but also enables policymakers to better anticipate potential threats. (3) Supporting crisis management and response. AI-powered planning tools will help ASEAN militaries strengthen crisis management, reduce tensions in the region, and assess risks and consequences of combat strategies through simulations of real-world “grey zone” scenarios. Additionally, it can support militaries in developing contingency plans and trust-building measures to prevent misunderstandings and unintended escalation. (4) Facilitating the rapid transformation of data into military information. In the future, if a war breaks out, the volume of operational data will be massive, making it difficult for humans to process manually. However, with the support of AI, transforming this large amount of military data into reliable military information will become easier, thus helping command centres shorten the decision-making process, etc.
Some issues arising: Alongside positive impacts, cooperation in this area also raises several concerns against which ASEAN militaries need to take all reasonable precautions. (1) Increased risks of regional conflict. Although AI can assist ASEAN militaries in maintaining regional stability, poor management could still lead to the risks of conflict. This is because the reduced presence of human soldiers on the battlefield may result in distorted perceptions of war and its consequences. If human casualties are minimised or eliminated, war may be seen as a measure to resolve disputes or to achieve self-serving diplomatic goals - a potential risk for conflict. (2) Risks of violating international law and ethical principles. The application of AI in military and defence sector, especially in the development of autonomous weapons, may result in AI systems independently identifying and attacking targets without human authorisation. (3) Greater risk of cyberattacks and toxic AI. Potential threats include identity fraud, online scams, harassment, defamation, and the creation of harmful AI models capable of attacking national infrastructure networks, disrupting inter-regional computer systems, or poisoning input data. (4) Transformation of warfighting. Traditional warfare has involved direct, physical combat by soldiers on the battlefield. However, with the integration of AI, future warfare is expected to be conducted in an "indirect" and "non-contact" manner. Victory may be achieved simply by disabling the enemy’s warfighting technological infrastructure. This shift could put regional and global security at greater risk.
It can be affirmed that the ASEAN Defence Ministers' joint statement on cooperation in the field of AI in the defence sector serves as an important legal framework for ASEAN militaries to deepen collaboration in the research, development, and application of AI. However, achieving the intended goals will require greater concerted efforts from all ASEAN member countries to address the emerging challenges and difficulties. Only by doing so can AI cooperation become more effective and contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.
NGUYEN KHANH - HUY SAN1
1 - Lecturer at Centre for National Defence and Security Education, University of Economics - Technology for Industries.