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The government intends to set up a national AI office to coordinate initiatives, which will include the introduction of the regulatory framework within the next 12 months.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced plans for Malaysia to establish a national cloud policy and introduce regulations to encourage the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI).
As cited by Reuters, the announcement was made in the Prime Minister's speech at the ground-breaking ceremony for Google's new data centre and Cloud region on 1 October 2024 (Tuesday).
As further cited in Reuters, Malaysia's national cloud policy will focus on four core areas, namely:
- public service innovation and efficiency,
- economic competitiveness and growth,
- strengthening user trust and data security, and
- empowering citizens through digital inclusivity.
In addition, the government also intends to set up a national AI office to coordinate initiatives, which will encompass completing a five-year technology action plan and a regulatory framework to increase adoption of ethical and sustainable AI within the next 12 months.
The PM affirmed: "We aim to position Malaysia as a hub for generative artificial intelligence, and investments from tech partners will be critical in building a robust and secure digital infrastructure."
In May 2024, Google announced a series of upcoming investments which are projected to create 26,500 jobs in Malaysia and contribute about RM9.4bn to its economy by 2030.
On a larger, regional scale, Google said it would invest $1bn in Thailand to build a data centre and cloud region there, to meet growing cloud demand and support AI adoption in Southeast Asia, according to the report.
Lead image / Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz
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