AI policy is being shaped by a basic tension: moving too quickly can create real harms, but delaying useful AI can also carry economic, societal and security costs. Across Asia Pacific, governments are responding differently, reflecting their national priorities, regulatory capacity, and levels of public trust.

This report examines these policy approaches and the trade-offs behind them, including the costs of AI deployment and delay, the implications for cybersecurity, and the controls needed as AI agents gain access to tools, networks, and external systems.