Report offers a baseline for aligning AI development with human rights and public trust
Naknakhone Malaymeuang/shutterstock
27 January 2026
Event
Lao People’s Democratic Republic will officially launch its AI Ethics Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) Country Report, marking a major step in strengthening national governance for artificial intelligence.
The report will be launched during a national workshop on artificial intelligence in Lao PDR, jointly organized by the Ministry of Technology and Communications and UNESCO, in partnership with the UN Country Team. The launch positions Lao PDR among a growing number of countries in the region using UNESCO’s global tools to inform AI policymaking in line with ethical standards.
Background
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping public administration, economic development, and service delivery. While Lao PDR has made progress in digital governance through ICT, digital economy, and e-government policies, rapid advances in AI raise new challenges related to institutional capacity, skills, data governance, legal clarity, and ethical oversight.
In response, Lao PDR commenced UNESCO’s AI Ethics Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) in January 2025. RAM is a macro-level diagnostic tool designed to assess a country’s preparedness to implement the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021) across areas such as regulation, institutions, infrastructure, human capacity, and societal and cultural impact.
The RAM Country Report provides evidence-based findings and priority recommendations to support policy reform, institutional strengthening, and capacity-building. Its official launch serves as a strategic entry point for informing the Government’s ongoing work on drafting a National AI Strategy, which is designed to ensure AI development is human-centred, inclusive, and aligned with international and regional frameworks.
Objectives of the national workshop
The workshop will:
- Officially launch and disseminate the RAM Lao PDR Country Report
- Build shared understanding of key AI ethics and governance gaps
- Support national dialogue on priority policy and institutional actions
- Inform the formulation of the National AI Strategy
- Strengthen coordination among the government, UN agencies, and stakeholders
Participants
Attendance is by invitation only, with approximately 250 participants expected to attend the plenary session and a smaller technical workshop in the afternoon. Attendees include:
- Government ministries and agencies
- Regulators and legislative bodies (as appropriate)
- UN agencies and development partners
- National and international AI experts
- Academia, private sector, and civil society representatives
Contacts
Ministry of Technology and Communications
Mr Phonpasit Phissamay, Assistant Minister
UNESCO
Mr Phinith Chanthalangsy
Regional Advisor, Social and Human Sciences
UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok
p.chanthalangsy(at)unesco.org and please copy shs.bgk(at)unesco.org