ABSTRACT
In this work, we delve into the imperative of responsibly scaling artificial intelligence (AI) within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region, aiming to unlock its substantial projected economic contribution of $22.17 trillion by 2030. It underscores AI’s transformative potential across diverse sectors, from healthcare to agriculture, highlighting its capacity to enhance decision-making, boost productivity, and drive innovation. However, it also confronts the significant hurdles hindering widespread adoption, including public apprehension stemming from misconceptions and misuse, persistent challenges in data quality and availability, critical concerns regarding privacy and security of sensitive data, complex ethical dilemmas related to bias, fairness, and accountability, and the acute shortage of skilled AI professionals.
To navigate these complexities and ensure AI’s beneficial impact, the chapter champions the establishment and adoption of internationally agreed-upon standards. These standards are deemed crucial for fostering consistency and interoperability in AI systems, thereby facilitating seamless cross-border trade, stimulating innovation, and enabling responsible and harmonised regulatory frameworks. The chapter argues that these standards provide essential frameworks for managing critical aspects such as data quality across the AI lifecycle, privacy, cybersecurity, bias mitigation, explainability, and risk management. Ultimately, this chapter seeks to elevate awareness and encourage the practical implementation of AI standards among both industry and government stakeholders, fostering a climate of trust and confidence that will underpin the responsible development and widespread adoption of AI technologies throughout the APEC region.
