June 1, 2023
PHNOM PENH – The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation has announced the release of a groundbreaking report titled “Artificial Intelligence Landscape in Cambodia: Current Status and Future Trends”.
This document, authored by numerous scholars from various institutions, aims to explore the state of AI in Cambodia and offer valuable insights and recommendations for its development across sectors.
The comprehensive report covers a wide range of topics, including AI definitions and concepts, applications and use cases, challenges and opportunities, policy and governance, education and research, as well as ethics and social impact.
In his foreword, minister Cham Prasidh – who is also chairman of the National Council of Science, Technology and Innovation (NCSTI) – expressed his enthusiasm for this “significant” document.
He emphasised the importance of AI in advancing science, technology and innovation in Cambodia, particularly during the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0.
Prasidh stressed that AI plays a pivotal role in various domains, offering vast potential for improved management, planning, competition and innovation. He underscored the need to harness AI for the greater good, ensuring inclusivity and adaptability to change.
“Technology development must be inclusive. However, we should also embrace change and utilise critical technologies for social benefit.
This brings to mind Charles Darwin’s timeless message that the most responsive to change are the ones who thrive,” he said in reference to a world-renown English naturalist, geologist and biologist best known for contributions to evolutionary biology.
Furthermore, Prasidh expressed his commitment to overseeing AI development from a policy perspective and ensuring accurate and sufficient data input into AI systems. He encouraged policymakers, the private sector and academia to utilise this “valuable” report in pursuit of their respective missions.
The report launch follows the approval of the “National Research Agenda 2025” by the NCSTI, chaired by Prasidh, in February this year. The agenda aims to mobilise Cambodia’s intellectual resources towards specific goals to be achieved by 2030.
The NCSTI has identified eight research areas, including domestic food production, energy and water supply, education, electronics and mechanics, cloud-based services, carbon neutrality and digital health promotion as priorities for the country.
In his introduction to the National Research Agenda 2025, Prime Minister Hun Sen underscored its timeliness and role in encouraging research and development aligned with policy frameworks such as the 2030 Cambodia Science, Technology, and Innovation Roadmap. The agenda aims to achieve the country’s 2030-50 visions, promoting strong and sustainable socio-economic development through innovative methods and products.
Hun Sen expressed his belief in the agenda’s ability to foster research ecosystems that are crucial for the nation’s continued growth and development.