TLDR: Cambodia is making significant strides in developing its national Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance framework with the support of UNESCO, following a comprehensive AI Readiness Assessment. While the nation has drafted foundational AI laws and is engaging in regional initiatives, the assessment highlights critical gaps in finalizing a national AI strategy, enhancing cybersecurity, improving data governance, and addressing AI literacy and infrastructure challenges. The country aims to leverage AI to achieve upper middle-income status by 2030 and high-income status by 2050.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Cambodia is actively pursuing its Artificial Intelligence (AI) ambitions, taking decisive steps towards establishing a robust national AI governance framework. This initiative is significantly bolstered by the support of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which recently completed a comprehensive AI Readiness Assessment using its Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM).
The assessment, published in 2025, provides a detailed overview of Cambodia’s preparedness to ethically and inclusively govern AI systems. It comes as Cambodia aligns its digital development goals with broader socio-economic objectives, aiming to become an upper middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050, with AI serving as a crucial catalyst.
Under the leadership of H.E. Chea Vandeth, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC) has spearheaded the drafting of foundational AI-related legislation, including Personal Data Protection and Cybersecurity laws. The nation is also developing AI ethics guidelines and actively participating in regional ASEAN initiatives such as the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics and the ASEAN Responsible AI Roadmap. Dr. Chea Vandeth emphasized that UNESCO’s support has been ‘instrumental in shaping our draft National AI Strategy,’ ensuring Cambodia’s approach ‘is aligned with international ethical standards and rooted in our national priorities.’
Despite these advancements, the UNESCO report identifies several critical gaps. A finalized national AI strategy is still in development, and challenges persist in inter-ministerial coordination and the integration of AI into public sector operations. Cybersecurity remains a significant concern; Cambodia scored 19.12 in the Global Cybersecurity Index, ranking 132nd out of 194 countries globally and 26th out of 38 in the Asia-Pacific region, classified as Tier 4 in maturity. Furthermore, there are no specific procurement guidelines for AI technologies, and citizens are not routinely informed when AI systems are utilized in public services.
Jose Guridi, an AI expert from UNESCO, noted that while preliminary findings indicate ‘a strong commitment to incorporating AI ethic recommendations from UNESCO into the country’s AI policy,’ there are missing elements such as specific amendments to existing laws to address AI harm and clear guidelines for AI procurement. Other identified challenges include low AI literacy, a shortage of skilled professionals, infrastructural constraints, limited high-quality datasets, fragmented governance, and issues with gender inclusion and public awareness regarding AI’s implications.
On the educational front, promising growth is observed in AI research publications, with a notable emphasis on ethics. New master’s programs in data science and AI are integrating ethical considerations from their inception, and collaborations with organizations like UNESCO are enriching the educational sphere. Pilot initiatives such as Khmer Braille, which assists teachers in preparing reading materials for visually impaired students, and Sarika AI, which converts Khmer text into voice, demonstrate practical applications of AI.
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Sardar Umar Alam, UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, underscored the importance of ethical considerations, stating, ‘Ethics must be the compass guiding the country’s digital transformation.’ The assessment involved over 300 stakeholders from November 2024 to June 2025, including representatives from 26 ministries and agencies, laying a comprehensive foundation for Cambodia’s future AI strategy. While significant work remains, Cambodia is charting a clear roadmap towards an ethical, inclusive, and human-centered digital future.
