<p>Governments across Asia are confronting a new kind of policy challenge — one that’s moving faster than most have ever had to legislate for. The astonishing speed of generative AI development has prompted both excitement and alarm in Asia’s capitals, where the potential for economic growth and national prestige is being weighed against serious questions about risk, regulation, and long-term control. In China, we’ve seen some of the world’s earliest binding regulations on generative AI, with policymakers steering innovation to align with stated political values. Japan, by contrast, has recently pivoted toward a “light touch” governance model — part of a wider shift in Asia that favours innovation-friendly oversight, even as public concerns about misinformation, data misuse, and algorithmic bias continue to mount. In other countries like India, Malaysia and South Korea, dedicated AI bodies have been established, but concrete legislation remains elusive. So what are Asian governments actually doing — and not doing — to shape the direction of this transformative technology? And how are they managing the balancing act between economic ambition and ethical caution? Professor Jeannie Paterson from Melbourne Law School and Professor Haiqing Yu from RMIT University join host Sami Shah to explore how Asia is balancing the risks and rewards of generative AI. An <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asia-institute/podcasts">Asia Institute podcast</a>. Produced and edited by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://profactual.com">profactual.com</a>. Music by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://audionautix.com">audionautix.com</a>.</p><p><strong>Suggested readings</strong></p><p>Expanded ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics – Generative AI <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Expanded-ASEAN-Guide-on-AI-Governance-and-Ethics-Generative-AI.pdf">https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Expanded-ASEAN-Guide-on-AI-Governance-and-Ethics-Generative-AI.pdf</a> </p><p>China bets on open-source technologies to boost domestic innovation <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://merics.org/en/report/china-bets-open-source-technologies-boost-domestic-innovation">https://merics.org/en/report/china-bets-open-source-technologies-boost-domestic-innovation</a></p><p>Open source and under control: The DeepSeek paradox <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://360info.org/open-source-and-under-control-the-deepseek-paradox/">https://360info.org/open-source-and-under-control-the-deepseek-paradox/</a></p>