A proactive government can anticipate the needs of citizens and businesses, and respond to them promptly, using technologies such as AI. Proactiveness is the dimension of the Digital Government Index on which SEA countries scored second lowest on average (Figure 5.1, Figure 5.3), with substantial room for improvement. The adoption of AI can help governments become more proactive. Used strategically and responsibly, governments can leverage AI to enhance public sector productivity (in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness), responsiveness and accountability (OECD, 2025).
Comprehensive governance frameworks are important for enabling responsible and effective use of AI in government. Whole-of-government strategies can help oversee the use and advancement of AI in government, in accordance with overarching principles and objectives. Only three of the eight SEA countries for which data are available have a dedicated national plan for AI that includes objectives or actions to use AI in the public sector (Figure 5.5). Compared to OECD Member countries, 29 out of 33 have a national plan for AI in the public sector. Governance frameworks for the use of AI in the public sector are an area that SEA countries may wish to strengthen over the medium term.
Guardrails, including rules, policies, guidance and frameworks that align with shared values and principles for algorithm management, are essential for ensuring the responsible and trustworthy use of AI within the public sector. Six out of eight surveyed SEA countries do not have instruments in place to support the responsible use of AI in the public sector (Figure 5.6). Two out of eight surveyed SEA countries have non-binding policy initiatives, such as guidelines, standards or principles. For example, Thailand has adopted the Ethical Guidelines for AI, and Indonesia has issued Circular Letter No. 9 of 2023 on AI Ethical Guidelines. This is also an area where SEA countries may wish to advance their practices in the coming years. By comparison, 28 of 33 OECD countries have instruments in place to support the responsible use of AI, with 13 of 33 (40%) having non-binding policy approaches in place, and 15 out of 33 (45%) having already established formal requirements.
Governments’ use of AI can facilitate automated and tailored internal processes and public services; foster better decision making and forecasting; improve fraud detection; and improve public servants’ job quality and learning (OECD, 2025). However, in SEA countries, its use is still limited among governments. Most surveyed SEA countries (six out of eight, or 75%) have no AI initiatives in their public sectors and are yet to develop use cases (
Table 5.2). Only Indonesia and Singapore reported the use of AI in the public sector. Singapore has deployed AI within the public sector's internal processes, service design and delivery, and policymaking processes, similar to OECD countries like Korea and New Zealand. Moreover, Indonesia demonstrates an early-stage use of AI to improve the design and delivery of services.
