Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – A workshop on artificial intelligence (AI) governance opened in Ho Chi Minh City on October 19, aiming to strengthen APEC economies’ capacity for AI management and promote responsible, transparent and ethical AI development.
The two-day event, which is part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) framework, brings together representatives from member economies, international organisations, regulatory agencies, standards bodies, experts and businesses.
In his opening remarks, Tran Hau Ngoc, Vice Chairman of the Commission for Standards, Metrology and Quality of Vietnam, said AI is emerging as a major driver of innovation, productivity growth and digital transformation worldwide.
The rapid development of AI is creating new opportunities for economies, businesses and society, ranging from improving production processes and management efficiency to developing new products, services and business models.
However, AI development and application also pose challenges related to safety, reliability, transparency, accountability, data protection and risk management. These challenges call for appropriate approaches that foster innovation while ensuring AI is developed and used responsibly, safely and reliably, he said.
Ngoc noted that international standards are playing an increasingly important role in providing principles, frameworks and technical tools to help organisations and businesses manage and use AI effectively.
Applying international standards, together with conformity assessment and technical assurance mechanisms, can strengthen confidence in AI applications, reduce differences in technical requirements and facilitate cooperation and trade among economies.
For Vietnam, he added, science, technology, innovation and digital transformation have been identified as important drivers of socio-economic development. AI, with its considerable potential, can help improve productivity and competitiveness and accelerate digital transformation across sectors.
In this context, greater attention should be paid to developing and applying standards, enhancing conformity assessment capacity and building quality infrastructure to support emerging technologies, including AI. Strengthening international cooperation and sharing experience will also help Vietnam and other regional economies advance these efforts, the official said.
Discussions at the workshop highlighted that APEC economies have adopted different approaches to AI development and governance in line with their respective conditions and priorities. However, they share common goals of maximising AI's benefits, managing associated risks and strengthening public and business confidence in the technology.
Against this backdrop, greater exchanges of experience and cooperation in AI governance are of practical importance to all participating economies, participants said.
They discussed global AI standards, approaches to responsible AI governance and implementation experiences across APEC economies. Other topics included risk management, algorithmic transparency, accountability, human oversight, AI lifecycle management, conformity assessment, certification, product safety and digital trust.
Through these discussions, the workshop seeks to develop practical recommendations for standards-based AI governance tailored to the circumstances of APEC member economies./.
