On 27 January 2026, the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic announced its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, drawing on findings from UNESCO’s AI Ethics Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM). The country report was launched at the National Workshop on Artificial Intelligence in Vientiane, jointly organized by the Ministry of Technology and Communications and UNESCO.
The RAM provides an evidence-based assessment of Lao PDR’s readiness to govern AI across policy and regulation, institutional coordination, human capacity, infrastructure, and societal and cultural impact. Lao PDR is among 77 countries globally and eight in South-East Asia using UNESCO’s tools to inform national AI policymaking.
The strategy incorporates AI literacy programs for schools, civil servants, and journalists, and a Lao-language AI primer. A digital human resources development center is being established with USD 9.9 million in funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) under a 2025-2029 agreement with the Ministry of Technology and Communications to build digital skills among civil servants.
Score relevance: National AI Strategy now formally announced (previously only in development). The KOICA-funded civil servant digital skills center represents structured, funded training — approaching a mandated standard. Scored: dim 10 moves from 1 to 1 (still advisory/strategic; no full enforcement authority yet), dim 11 = 1 maintained (training program now has funding but no verified completion standard).