The government of Myanmar has not developed a national AI strategy. While the country endorsed the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, which could provide a template for a human-centered approach, there is no evidence of implementation steps being taken.
Myanmar lacks a comprehensive data protection law or dedicated data protection agency. The country's legal framework for privacy is fragmented across several instruments, including the Constitution, the Law Protecting the Privacy and Security of Citizens, and the Electronic Transactions Law.
Recent amendments to these laws, particularly following the 2021 military coup, have raised concerns about privacy protections. For example, sections of the Privacy Law that protected citizens from unreasonable searches, seizures, and surveillance were suspended in February 2021.
Myanmar has been deploying AI-powered surveillance systems in major cities, including facial recognition technology. The "Safe City" project, implemented with technology from Huawei, has raised concerns about potential human rights violations and lack of public consultation.
The military junta's push for expanded camera surveillance systems across the country has further intensified worries about privacy and the potential misuse of AI technologies for political repression.
Myanmar's human rights record has significantly deteriorated, with Freedom House downgrading the country's status from "partly free" to "not free" in recent years. The use of AI has been implicated in what some describe as ethnic genocide against the Rohingya Muslims, particularly through the alleged amplification of hate speech on social media platforms.
The country's new Cyber Security Bill, while addressing some aspects of personal data protection, has faced criticism for potentially impacting fundamental rights, including restrictions on VPN use and granting authorities broad powers to block or remove online content.
Myanmar has not endorsed the OECD AI Principles or the G20 AI Guidelines. However, the country did adopt the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI along with other member states. It remains to be seen how Myanmar will implement these recommendations in practice.
Myanmar faces significant challenges in developing responsible AI policies and practices. The lack of a national AI strategy, combined with the deployment of AI-powered surveillance technologies and ongoing human rights concerns, presents a troubling scenario.
This country report is our interpretation and summary of the "CAIDP Artificial Intelligence & Democratic Values Index 2023". The full report can be found here - https://www.caidp.org/reports/aidv-2023