AI for Sustainable Development in Middle-Income Southeast Asia

This study explores how university–industry–government partnerships in middle-income Southeast Asia leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to drive sustainable development and innovation-led transformation. Employing a qualitative document analysis of 24 national and regional AI policy frameworks across Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Lao PDR, and Myanmar, the research uses ATLAS.ti to identify thematic linkages between policy vision, institutional roles, and implementation dynamics. The findings reveal that higher education institutions (HEIs) serve as pivotal orchestrators of inclusive innovation ecosystems, mediating knowledge transfer, capacity building, and policy coordination among public and private sectors. Despite infrastructural and governance constraints, middle-income economies exhibit adaptive innovation that enhances AI-enabled education, health, and sustainability outcomes. The study refines the Triple Helix framework by emphasizing the institutional intelligence of HEIs as a catalyst for overcoming the middle-income trap through innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration. Policy recommendations underscore the need for enabling regulatory frameworks, Environment, Social, and Governance-oriented industry partnerships, and HEI-led digital capacity development to accelerate equitable, AI-driven economic upgrading across the region.