ASEAN AI Program Targets 1.7 Million Teachers And Students By 2028
The ASEAN Foundation is expanding AI Ready ASEAN into a practical training program for students, K-12 teachers and university faculty across member states.
Back End News wrote that a regional AI skills program backed by the ASEAN Foundation is moving to a 2028 training target of 1.7 million-plus learners and educators, expanding from awareness work into practical classroom use.
The new phase carries the AI Ready ASEAN Powered by AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific name.
Its endorsement followed a presentation to ASEAN senior education officials at their 21st meeting, and the operating group now includes AVPN, Google.org and the Asian Development Bank.
Delivery is designed to happen through local partners rather than a single regional course.
Implementing organizations in member states will adapt materials for local requirements and run training for school teachers, college students and university faculty.
National education ministries will shape the rollout as well.
The ASEAN Foundation plans to align the training with each country’s AI and education priorities, giving schools a path to add AI lessons without rebuilding programs that already exist.
The change from Phase 1 is practical depth.
Dr. Piti Srisangnam, the foundation’s executive director, said the earlier phase showed that ASEAN youth, educators and communities would engage with AI when tools and support were available.
Phase 2 is meant to put those skills inside education systems and workforce preparation.
Google.org placed the work in an AI literacy frame.
Marija Ralic, head of Google.org APAC, said educators are central to helping Southeast Asian learners use the technology responsibly and effectively as the program shifts into applied, deeper training.
The program also keeps a regional coordination track.
Public officials, technical practitioners, academics, civil society organizations, international bodies, media representatives and learners are due to examine gaps in AI education, with the fourth regional meeting planned for Singapore in December 2026.
For ASEAN, the training target links AI adoption with education policy and labor-market readiness rather than treating it as a separate technology campaign.
The confirmed rollout supports digital learning, workforce competitiveness, lifelong education and responsible use of emerging technologies across the bloc.
