#44 Asia AI Policy Monitor
🇸🇬 Copyright Rules · 🇰🇷 Legal Clarity · 🇦🇺🇨🇦 Creator Pushback · 🇭🇰 Agentic AI Risks · 🇦🇺 Child Safety Enforcement · 🇲🇾 AI Standards · 🇵🇭 Courts AI Rules · 🇨🇳 AI Registry · 🌐 OECD...
Intellectual Property
Singapore’s IP Office publishes guidance on AI and copyright.
AI development uses extensive datasets, which often include copyright works, to train AI systems. Such use may infringe copyright unless the copyright owner has granted a licence or a legal exception applies. This explainer looks at how copyright exceptions and licensing complement each other in Singapore’s copyright framework to support the use of copyright works for AI innovation while respecting the interests of creators and copyright owners.
Australian and Canadian music rights organizations issued a joint statement on copyright and AI.
Their statement reads, in part: “Today, as Prime Minister Albanese welcomed Prime Minister Carney to the Australian Parliament, he said it plainly: ‘As two middle powers in an era of strategic competition, Australia and Canada must seek and create new ways to stand with and for each other.’ Prime Minister Carney was equally direct about the stakes: that nations like ours must work together on the development of Artificial Intelligence or risk being caught ‘between the hyperscalers and the hegemons.’ We agree on both counts, and we believe the creative economy is where that solidarity must be tested and proved.”
“We [SOCAN and APRA AMCOS] collectively represent almost 400,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers across Australasia and Canada. The shape of that framework matters enormously. It will determine whether AI development generates broad cultural and economic returns, or whether those returns flow overwhelmingly to a small number of global technology platforms at the expense of the artists whose work made AI possible.”
National Bureau of Asian Research published a piece on Taiwan’s AI Law, and copyright implications.
Kai-Shen Huang argues that Taiwan’s AI governance will be judged less by the existence of the AI Basic Act coming into force this year than by whether implementation becomes coherent across ministries and legal domains, including data governance, digital sovereignty, and copyright.
South Korea pushes for more copyright clarity.
South Korea's government is accelerating efforts to clarify copyright rules amid concerns that legal ambiguity is hampering AI companies
Privacy
Hong Kong’s PDPC issued warnings on use of agentic AI OpenClaw.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) noted that the security risks related to the use of OpenClaw and other agentic artificial intelligence (AI) have provoked discussion recently. The PCPD is also concerned about the matter and reminds organisations and members of the public that before deploying or using OpenClaw and other agentic AI, they should pay attention to and understand the personal data privacy and security risks involved to avoid personal data breaches, malicious system takeovers and cybersecurity threats. They are also reminded to adopt adequate and effective security measures to safeguard personal data privacy.
Finance
Singapore’s MAS published case studies on effective AI risk management in finance.
a. Scope and oversight – Establishment of AI governance framework, and clarity of roles and responsibility for AI oversight.
b. AI risk management – Identification of AI usage, risk materiality assessment, and AI inventorisation through organisational systems, policies and procedures.
c. AI lifecycle management – Implementation of controls covering the entire lifecycle of AI use.
d. Enablers – Development of organisational capabilities, infrastructure, and resources to enable ongoing responsible AI use and risk management.
Governance
Malaysia published MY-AI standards amid growing digital and AI fueled fraud.
Malaysia has launched a national AI standards platform, and the timing is not incidental. The country recorded 67,735 online crime cases between January and November 2025, with cumulative losses exceeding RM2.7 billion–figures that trace a threat landscape that has grown faster than the legal and regulatory frameworks meant to contain it.
The MY-AI Standards platform, launched on March 10, 2026, by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, is Malaysia’s most structured attempt yet to get ahead of that curve. Developed through a collaboration between the National AI Office (NAIO), CyberSecurity Malaysia, and the Department of Standards Malaysia–with ISO support–the platform gives businesses and institutions a single access point to more than 80 global AI standards.
The Philippines Supreme Court issued a guideline on use of AI in the courts.
Before any AI tool is used, there must be reliable evidence that it will achieve its intended purpose, and safeguards have been built in the tool which would justify its use in relation to possible ecological harm or effect. If such I ' evidence or safeguards’, or when there is uncertainty as to the environmental impact an AI tool may cause, the precautionary principle shall apply. An AI tool shall not be used if it will cause or result in serious, irreversible, or disproportional damage to the environment.
Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner issued legal notices around AI chat bot and children’s safety online.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has issued legal notices to four popular AI companion providers requiring them to explain how they are protecting children from exposure to a range of harms, including sexually explicit conversations and images and suicidal ideation and self-harm.
Notices were given to Character Technologies, Inc. (character.ai), Glimpse.AI (Nomi), Chai Research Corp (Chai), and Chub AI Inc. (Chub.ai) under Australia’s Online Safety Act.
The notices require the four companies to answer a series of questions about how they are complying with the Government’s Basic Online Safety Expectations Determination. The notices require these providers to report on the steps they are taking to keep Australian’s safe online, especially children.
China’s CAC published the most recent list of applied AI services in the country.
To promote the innovative development and standardized application of generative artificial intelligence (AI) services, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), in conjunction with relevant departments, has been continuously carrying out the registration of generative AI services in accordance with the "Interim Measures for the Administration of Generative AI Services." From January to February 2026, 48 new generative AI services completed registration with the CAC. For generative AI applications or functions that directly call the capabilities of registered models through API interfaces or other means, local CAC offices conducted registration, with 46 new applications completing registration. As of February 28, a total of 796 generative AI services have completed registration, and 481 generative AI applications or functions have completed registration. This information is hereby announced.
Hong Kong appointed board directors to the AI Research and Development Institute to promote AI in the city.
The Institute aims to facilitate upstream R&D, midstream and downstream transformation of R&D outcomes and expand application scenarios. By serving as a bridge connecting the Government, academic institutions, research entities, and the industry, the Institute will promote R&D applications and industry empowerment in AI, offer to the Government recommendations conducive to the promotion of AI development, as well as enhance public awareness, literacy, and skills in AI.
China’s cyber regulator issued warnings on US OpenClaw use in the country’s financial and state agencies with six recommendations.
Use the latest version: Install only the newest official release, enable update alerts, back up data before upgrades, and avoid third-party or outdated versions.
Limit internet exposure: Do not expose Lobster agents publicly; use SSH or VPN with restricted IP access and strong authentication if remote access is required.
Follow least privilege: Avoid admin accounts, grant minimal permissions, require approval for sensitive actions, and run in containers or VMs.
Be cautious with skill packs: Review ClawHub packages before installing and reject any that require ZIP downloads, shell scripts, or passwords.
Prevent social engineering: Avoid unknown sites and links, use browser protections, and disconnect immediately if suspicious activity appears.
Maintain ongoing security: Enable logs, patch vulnerabilities regularly, use security software, and monitor official vulnerability alerts.
China conduced its Two Sessions, including issuing the 15th 5-year plan, and the government work report (GWR). We collect AI mentions in both below:
GWR: New quality productive forces grew steadily, and numerous new advances were made in science and technology. China led the way in the research, development, and application of artificial intelligence (AI), biomedicine, robotics, and quantum technology….China-made large AI models spearheaded the development of the global open-source AI ecosystem…We moved ahead with digital transformation of manufacturing and the AI Plus Initiative. AI industrial application gathered pace, and new intelligent terminals emerged continuously.
15th 5-year Plan: Part 4 Chapter 12: activate the potential of data elements, accelerate digital and intelligent technology innovation, deepen and expand "artificial intelligence +", empower economic and social development and governance capacity improvement, and promote profound changes in production methods and revolutionary leaps in productivity…. Accelerate breakthroughs in fundamental theories and core technologies of artificial intelligence, promote improvements in AI model architecture and algorithm optimization, and strengthen collaborative innovation across models, chips, cloud, and applications.Promote the construction of a national artificial intelligence innovation hub, cultivate new intelligent-native models and business forms, and build a national pilot base for artificial intelligence applications. Enrich smart home, smart transportation, and smart community scenarios, develop smart terminal products and services, and build a digital and intelligent public service network…. Promote the transformation of education models through artificial intelligence, and systematically advance the application of digital technologies in scenarios such as assisted diagnosis and treatment, precision medicine, health management, medical insurance services, and elderly and disabled assistance.
Multilateral
The OECD published the Due Diligence Guide for AI.
This report provides practical guidance to enterprises for implementing OECD standards on responsible business conduct (RBC) and the OECD AI Principles when developing and using artificial intelligence (AI). It aims to support innovation, investment and growth of enterprises in the AI value chain by helping enterprises proactively address adverse impacts. The report promotes policy coherence, and where possible interoperability, between the OECD and other national or international AI risk management frameworks.
The Philippines and EU mark cooperation with first European AI company establishing ties in the Philippines.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by European Union Ambassador Massimo Santoro, who highlighted the significance of the partnership and the opportunities it presents for strengthening economic and business relations for the benefit of both the European Union and the Philippines.
“We do not aim to replace humans in the customer service industry with AI; rather, our goal is to enhance their performance through AI support. We believe in the Philippines as a global leader in the BPO industry, and we aim to contribute by bringing advanced technology to help upskill the workforce and protect jobs,” said Alin Rosca.
In the News and Analysis
UNESCO published its India AI Readiness Assessment Report during the India AI Impact Summit.
UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), IndiaAI Mission, and Ikigai Law as the implementing partner, hosted a two-day consultation on AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) on 16 and 17 January in India. The consultation aims to craft an India-specific AI policy report that identifies strengths and opportunities for growth within India’s thriving AI ecosystem. This report will pave the way for the responsible and ethical adoption of AI across all sectors.
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published a report on China’s grassroots AI safety initiatives.
Since the January 2025 release of the DeepSeek-R1 open-source reasoning model, China has increasingly prioritized leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) as a key engine for economic growth, encouraged AI diffusion domestically, and continued to pursue self-sufficiency across the AI stack. Yet while China has been investing heavily in AI development and deployment, it has also begun to talk more concretely about catastrophic risks from frontier AI and the need for international coordination. The February 2025 launch of the China AI Safety and Development Association (CnAISDA, 中国人工智能发展与安全研究网络)—China’s self-described counterpart to the AI safety institutes (AISIs) that the United Kingdom, United States, and other countries have launched over the last two years—offers a critical data point on the state of China’s rapidly evolving AI safety conversation.
Advocacy
China’s MIIT holds consultations on autonomous driving until April 14.
In accordance with the Standardization Law of the People's Republic of China and the Administrative Measures for Mandatory National Standards, the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized the National Automotive Standardization Technical Committee to carry out the formulation and revision of five mandatory national standards, including the Safety Requirements for Automated Driving Systems of Intelligent Connected Vehicles. Drafts for public comment have been completed and are now open for public feedback.
The UN’s Global Dialogue on AI is open for comments until April 30.
The Asia AI Policy Monitor is the monthly newsletter for Digital Governance Asia, a non-profit organization with staff in Taipei and Seattle. If you are interested in contributing news, analysis, or participating in advocacy to promote Asia’s rights-promoting innovation in AI, please reach out to our secretariat staff at APAC GATES or Seth Hays at seth@apacgates.com.