AI Ethics and Governance in a Fractured World:

Asia Pacific’s Path Forward

A side event of the

3rd UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

7th Floor, Chaloem Rajakumari 60 Building (Chamchuri 10 Building)

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EZRyYNZLHnJPAEsF7

24 June 2025, 9:00–17:30 (UTC+7)

This pre-forum symposium will address critical questions surrounding ethical and responsible governance of AI. Discussions in three tracks will encompass a range of pressing issues, including climate change, public health, spiritual well-being, peacebuilding, migration, cross-border cybercriminal ecosystem, our comprehension of technology, and the potential technological trap.

The technological and business emphasis in AI development often overshadows crucial ethical and social implications, particularly those impacting fundamental rights. For instance, within Thai academia, AI discussions often lack sufficient integration of disciplines essential for understanding its social context, such as political and social sciences, humanities, journalism, and science and technology studies (STS). This underrepresentation is especially concerning given the growing complexities in the region and the potential for AI to disproportionately affect the most marginalized and vulnerable groups.

This event fosters cross-disciplinary and cross-sector research collaboration and policy co-creation to drive positive social change and open knowledge environments within universities, national research systems, and civil society networks. It seeks to take stock of the regional AI governance landscape and enhance the region’s ability to contribute to the development of AI governance frameworks at regional and global levels, with a specific focus on ASEAN and the Asia Pacific.


Our guiding questions

1. How to include diverse regional and marginalized voices in global AI governance?

2. What key strategies are needed to develop comprehensive and robust international AI governance frameworks and standards?

3. How can we assess the impact of AI governance across local, national, and international contexts?

4. How can we establish effective mechanisms to bridge knowledge and collaboration across disciplines, sectors, and borders in AI governance?

5. How can the Asia-Pacific region enhance its capacity for AI ethics research and build foresight regarding its regional challenges and opportunities in AI governance, thereby enabling more meaningful contributions to international collaboration?
   

Sessions

1. Ethics at Risk: Navigating the AI dilemma and the tech trap

2. Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health

3. Artificial Intelligence for Humanity: Creating technology that leaves no one behind

4. Evolving Together: Navigating Ethics and Meaning in the Age of Al

5. Cybercrime Ecosystem: Problems and prospect

6. Gambling Industry in the Age of AI

7. Artificial Intelligence and Peacebuilding

8. Biodiversity Collapse, Climate, and Indigenous Peoples Across Borders

9. Human Security: Hopes and Challenges for Vulnerable Groups amidst False/True Information flow

10. AI Literacy's New Frontier: Confronting our epistemic gaps to govern the algorithmic age

Attending

Online registration via the following link is required: https://forms.gle/ixxH9DmtQUaHLaKg7

Attendance is free of charge. RSVP while available space lasts.

Connected events

Please note: AI Ethics and Governance in a Fractured World: Asia Pacific’s Path Forward is the second of two linked side events taking place in Bangkok on 23-24 June in advance of the 3rd Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The other event, Enabling Ethical AI for Present and Future Generations in a Time of Heightened Global Insecurity, is hosted at Centara Grand at CentralWorld on 23 June. See the full program for the 23 June side event at https://www.globalforumethicsai.com/side-events/enabling-ethical-ai-for-present-and-future-generations-at-a-time-of-heightened-global-insecurity

Together the linked events on 23 & 24 June will produce a common outcome document, the UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES-CHULA UNIVERSITY Bangkok Statement on Ethical AI, to be published during GFEAI 25.


Host organizations

1. Kingdom of Thailand Vice Presidency of the UNESCO MOST Intergovernmental Council

2. Chulalongkorn University

3. Thailand Science, Research and Innovation (TSRI)

4. BRIDGES Coalition, UNESCO-MOST (Management of Social Transformations) Programme

Co-convening partners

1. Knowledge Center and Coordination on Spiritual Health

2. Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Sufficiency Economy Philosophy for Sustainability (SEAMEO SEPS)

3. National Health Commission Office of Thailand (NHCO)

4. National Press Council of Thailand

5. Chulalongkorn University: including the Office of Research Affairs, Institute of Asian Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies Research Group (Social Research Institute), the Center for Social Development Studies (CSDS), Faculty of Political Science, and Asian Research Center for Migration (ARCM), Institute of Asian Studies

6. Asia Pacific Sociological Association (APSA)

7. Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly (DRAPAC)

8. Thammasat University: including Digital Media and Culture in Southeast Asia research cluster, Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, and the School of Global Studies

9. Eastern Himalaya - Mekong Youth Network on Climate Change

10. Good Governance for Society and Environment Institute Foundation (GSEI)

11. Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA)

12. Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation (HITAP)

13. Mae Tao Clinic

14. The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) - Thailand

15. Internet Foundation for the Development of Thailand

16. Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Ministry of Justice, Thailand

17. Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), the Royal Thai Police

18. Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA)

19. ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory

20. Globethics

21. The Club of Rome

22. World Academy of Art and Science

23. UNESCO AI Ethics Team

AGENDA