Salutation

1. Dr. Milton Mattox CEO, United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII)

2. Yang Berbahagia Ts. Dato’ Sri Ganes Palaniapan Chairman, SG TVET Group Berhad

3. Professor Dr Azlan Mohd Zain Program Coordinator, Faculty of Computing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

4. Associate Professor Dr. Selvakumar Manickam Director, National Advanced IPv6 Centre (NAv6), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

Esteemed industry leaders,

Members of the media,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good afternoon, Salam Perpaduan, and Salam Malaysia MADANI.

1. Thank you for having me here today, as we witness a significant milestone in Malaysia’s AI journey — the launch of the United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII) Certified AI Accelerator, Engineer, Scientist, and Leadership Programme.

2. This partnership, between SG TVET Group Berhad and USAII, marks an important milestone as we advance in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation.

3. The theme of the event, “AI and Employability in Malaysia: Sustainable AI Career Paths for the Future” is extremely apt in today’s world. AI skills are becoming increasingly important in the workplace. The 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report by Microsoft and LinkedIn has revealed some interesting insights. The findings were culled from 31,000 full-time employed or self-employed knowledge workers across 31 markets including Malaysia, between February 15 and March 28 this year.

4. In the survey, 75% of knowledge workers around the world said they use generative AI at work; 79% of leaders believe their company needs to adopt AI to stay competitive; and at least 60% of leaders in cybersecurity, engineering, and creative design are concerned about having enough talents to fill roles in the year ahead. The findings of the survey show the importance of digital technology in various sectors – from healthcare to transportation, to agriculture to education.

5. Our Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim is acutely aware of the importance of these new technologies and the impact on the digital economy – which then led to the birth of the Ministry of Digital last December. At the very core of our mission is to build the necessary infrastructure, create digital resilience, and develop the talent pool – 4 in order to drive digitalisation and equip Malaysians with the right mindset and tools they need to thrive in the digital era.

6. On many occasions, Dato’ Seri Anwar has repeatedly highlighted the need for us to grow our talent pool, as the nation continues to attract massive investments from major tech giants and multinationals. The mushrooming of data centres and the establishment of more economic zones nationwide also mean that industry will be clamouring for skilled workers in the tech realm.

7. The latest, of course, is Oracle which has committed USD 6.5 billion to building a cloud region here, to assist organisations here to update their applications, move various workloads to the cloud, and innovate with data, analytics, and AI.

8. But while we look forward to more foreign investments, let’s not forget about the 1.1 million micro-, small- and medium-enterprises (MSMEs) locally which make up 97% of businesses, and account for 48% of employment. As the catalyst for advancing Malaysia forward, MSMEs also need to ensure that their workforce has the knowledge and ability to utilise technology to increase productivity and efficiency, reduce costs and enhance profits.

9. In order to meet both current and future demands required by investors, we urgently need to invest in growing our AI talents. The MADANI Government is taking this situation very seriously, by establishing 5 mechanisms and supporting initiatives that complement and speed up the process of creating the talents needed by industry.

10. At the Invest Malaysia Iskandar 2024 event late last month, Dato’ Seri Anwar launched 3 initiatives meant to enhance talent needs: the AI Talent Roadmap for Malaysia (2024-2030), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s AI faculty, and the Malaysia AI Consortium. The PM was very impressed that the AI faculty was set up in a very short time and the fact that UTM had already welcomed 101 students as its first cohort – tells me that when we put our heart and soul into doing something and when we collaborate with the right partners, we can achieve great things.

11. Additionally, the Ministry of Digital, via the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), has the Premier Digital Tech Institutions (PDTI) initiative which was designed to bridge the gap between universities and companies in order to produce a more employable graduate, specifically with an eye on the digital economy. Currently, PDTI encompasses 42 faculties across 24 esteemed public and private institutions.

Ladies and gentlemen,

12. Public-private collaborations are absolutely crucial to enhancing and expanding our digital talent pool. The USAII Certified AI Programme is not only the first of its kind in Malaysia but also a significant leap toward realising our goals. With dual certification from USAII and the Department of Skills Development (JPK), this programme sets a new 6 benchmark for AI education in our country. The curriculum, co-developed by AI experts and local academic leaders, is tailored to meet the demands of the industry, focusing on areas like machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and AI ethics.

13. What makes this programme even more impactful is its guarantee of employability, with over 10 leading companies ready to offer job placements to graduates. This direct pathway – from learning to employment – is a model we should aspire to replicate across other sectors.

14. Therefore, I would like to commend SG TVET Group Berhad and USAII for their commitment to empower Malaysia’s workforce through AI education and training. To the participants of this programme, the skills you acquire will not only help you in your chosen careers but will also contribute to our nation’s growth and competitiveness in the global digital economy.

15. The digital economy is a big contributor to our country’s GDP, projected to hit the target of 25.5% by the end of 2025 – up from 23% in 2022. At the rate things are progressing, I’m confident we can surpass 25.5%.

16. As our digital economy grows and we grapple with the issues and challenges surrounding the use of AI, the government is implementing various measures to safeguard the digital ecosystem and protect consumers.

17. The National AI Office, which will be launched next month, will be the central authority to advance Malaysia’s AI agenda and is responsible for a number of key AI-related government goals over the next year, including finalising the AI Technology Action Plan (2026-2030), establishing regulations for ethical AI use, and accelerating AI adoption across important sectors.

18. In all of these initiatives to boost the country’s digital transformation, we must also ensure that we leave no one behind; that we must strive to include those who have less access to technology due to their economic status; and those who may be hampered by disabilities. We must not neglect them as they have as much right to be employed, and be provided with the means to equip themselves in facing the ever-evolving world we live in today.

19. An ongoing online awareness programmecarried out by the Ministry of Digital via MyDIGITAL Corporation is ‘AI Untuk Rakyat’. It aims to educate the public about AI. Ever since it was launched in January this year, there have been over 1 million registrations. I hope those of you who haven’t taken part in this programme, will do so and promote it to others.

20. I must say I am very pleased to see so many key players here today, including government agency and industry leaders, who share our vision for a digitally empowered Malaysia.

21. As we look to the future, we must remember that AI is not just a technology but a tool for creating a more sustainable and inclusive economy.

22. Thank you once again to everyone involved in making today possible.

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