Ministers responsible for telecommunications, information and communications technology (ICT) and digital policy from the 21 APEC member economies gathered in Incheon for the first-ever APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, a milestone moment in the region's digital cooperation.
The meeting underscores the growing urgency for trusted, reliable and human-centered approaches to digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) that benefit all our people across the Asia-Pacific.
"We are now standing at the forefront of a monumental wave of transformation driven by AI and digital technologies," said Kyunghoon Bae, Minister of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea and Chair of the meeting. "How we respond to this massive 'coming wave' will shape the future for all of us."
Under Korea's theme of APEC 2025, "Building a Sustainable Tomorrow," the meeting offered ministers a platform to chart a collaborative course for digital and AI policymaking.
Discussions focused on advancing meaningful digital connectivity, harnessing emerging technologies for public good and strengthening international cooperation to ensure AI systems are safe, broadly beneficial and trusted across borders.
Minister Bae underscored the meeting's role in shaping future cooperation across the region, calling it "an opportunity to design the future of our collaboration that encompasses innovation, connectivity, and ecosystems based on the diversity and experiences of APEC member economies."
The meeting builds on the forum's work under the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap, which guides cooperation in areas such as broadband access, digital trust, upskilling and AI governance.
"Because the future is digital," said APEC Executive Director Eduardo Pedrosa in his remarks to APEC ministers. "AI will shape everything from healthcare to education, trade to public safety, and it is our responsibility as a region to stay ahead of these conversations - anticipating what our economies will need in five or ten years' time, and ensuring that innovation supports long-term growth."
Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to digital transformation as a driver of growth that benefits all under the Putrajaya Vision 2040 and the Aotearoa Plan of Action.
The outcomes of the meeting will feed into Korea's proposed APEC AI Initiative, which aims to foster future-oriented innovation, build capacity across society and sectors, as well as promote investment in robust AI infrastructure to ensure that all segments of society benefit from this transformation.
The Ministerial is followed by the APEC Global Digital and AI Forum on 5 August, co-hosted by the Government of Korea and the World Bank, bringing together government leaders, innovators and researchers to translate policy commitments into practical action.
