THE world is entering a new era shaped by artificial intelligence (AI). Countries large and small – from China to New Zealand and Singapore – have adopted national AI strategies to seize opportunities and manage risks.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has yet to do so. Yes, we have a roadmap but a roadmap is not a strategy. In a race as fast-moving as AI, standing still means falling behind.
AI is not just another tech buzzword; it is a game changer.
It is transforming education, manufacturing, healthcare, finance, public services and agriculture.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have opened new frontiers, disrupting jobs but also creating entirely new ones. Failing to keep pace risks economic stagnation, brain drain and increased dependence on foreign technology. Malaysia cannot afford to be a bystander.
Why AI matters
Malaysia has made some progress. The National AI Roadmap (2021–2025), AI Sandbox, AI untuk Rakyat programme and the country’s first AI faculty at UTM are commendable. Yet these efforts remain fragmented. Ministries and agencies work in silos, leading to duplicated efforts, unclear priorities and wasted resources. The roadmap itself is expiring and already outdated. Now is the moment to take stock, consolidate gains and chart a bold, forward-looking strategy.
Malaysia has strong foundations. We are a global player in semiconductors. Our population is young and tech-savvy. Our universities are producing AI researchers.
The Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation’s ecosystem support
and UTM’s Malaysian AI Consortium are valuable assets. We should focus on areas where we can shine, such as visual AI for agriculture or AI-powered health diagnostics.
Six pillars for a national strategy
A realistic and effective national AI strategy should focus on:
Coordination: Empower a central AI body to align policies, foster collaboration and avoid duplication, like AI Singapore.
Talent: Reform education to encourage problem-solving and AI fluency from school upwards,
and provide public-sector training programmes.
Inclusion: Ensure AI benefits all Malaysians, not just urban elites or large corporations. Apply AI to solve local problems in agriculture, SMEs and rural development.
Ethics and trust: Establish clear frameworks on jobs, privacy and transparency to ensure responsible
AI use.
Partnerships: Encourage collaboration between government, industry, academia, civil society and across borders with Asean and
global leaders.
Research and innovation: Invest in AI R&D and support the development of local AI models to reduce over-reliance on foreign technologies.
Learning from our neighbours
Singapore’s success lies in, among others, strong institutional coordination – AI Singapore (together with Economic Development Board) integrates economic development, education, talent and research into one coherent strategy.
Thailand balances foreign investment with local content and skills development, focusing on AI applications in agriculture and manufacturing.
Vietnam shows how systematic production integration with foreign partners can generate technological upgrading and spillover benefits.
The lesson is clear: there is no single pathway to success
but consistent coordination, implementation and alignment with national needs are critical.
If Malaysia accords attention to these elements in her revised national AI strategy, then we can move away from a focus on “infrastructure” to more impactful and exportable AI capabilities.
Avoiding inequality
Without careful planning, AI can deepen divides between rich and poor.
A good strategy must ensure that rural communities, small businesses and vulnerable groups benefit alongside corporations and cities. AI must serve all Malaysians – not just the privileged few.
With our roadmap expiring and
AI advancing at lightning speed, Malaysia must act.
A cohesive, inclusive and forward-looking national AI strategy is no longer optional; it is essential to our sovereignty, competitiveness and future.
We are not too late but we are almost out of time.
K. Thiruchelvam is a retired civil servant, academic and presently active in a health-related NGO.
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