19 May 2026

The Indo-Pacific and the Challenge of Multilateral AI Governance

Indo-Pacific countries have actively shaped international AI governance, leading initiatives like the G-7 Hiroshima AI Process and contributing to the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation and Science. However, this multilateral momentum faces headwinds from the United States' preference for bilateral agreements[1] and China's centralized proposals, which lack broad participation[2]. Opportunities for AI cooperation persist within existing security partnerships such as the Quad and AUKUS, and economic organizations like APEC and ASEAN, focusing on joint operational testbeds, defense-oriented testing, early-warning incident reporting, shared procurement, regional compute hubs, and talent retention programs[8]. Domestically, Indo-Pacific nations should build technical capacity and institutional infrastructure, leveraging their access to semiconductor supply chains, critical minerals, and data center investments to prepare for AI's transformative impact.

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