Incheon: The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is intensifying efforts to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in transforming economies and societies across the Asia-Pacific is conducted in a safe, inclusive, and sustainable manner. More than 200 policymakers, technologists, and standards experts gathered for the APEC AI Standards Conference in Incheon, South Korea, to foster convergence in AI governance and technical alignment throughout the region.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr. Jin-seok Bae, director of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), highlighted that AI offers significant opportunities and complex challenges that cannot be addressed by any single economy alone. He remarked that while AI is rapidly changing industries and daily lives, the absence of common standards could lead to fragmentation and mistrust. Dr. Bae noted that the conference serves as a platform for APEC economies to align efforts, exchange knowledge, and promote international cooperation for developing safe and inclusive AI governance.

The two-day conference featured hands-on training, shared best practices, and insights from global standards bodies, emphasizing that international cooperation is essential for responsible AI development. During the opening session, Silvio Dulinski, deputy secretary-general of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), stressed the importance of international standards in fostering trust, fairness, and security in AI. He pointed out that standards provide scalable, consensus-driven tools for aligning regulation and ensuring diversity and inclusion in AI governance.

Participants explored AI usage across various sectors and evaluated emerging frameworks to guide testing, conformity assessment, and implementation. They also examined real-world applications of AI standards in areas such as ethics, human-AI interaction, risk management, and environmental impact.

Furthermore, Dr. Kang Byung-Goo, chair of the APEC Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC), stated that standardization is more than a technical process; it is a foundation for sustainable innovation and inclusive growth. He expressed hope that the workshop would facilitate collaboration among APEC economies on AI standards, ensuring that AI systems are not only effective but also aligned with shared values.