SALUTATION
1. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Bahria Mohd Tamil
Deputy Secretary General (Investment & Management), Ministry of Investment, Trade & Industry (MITI)
2. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Ir. Dr. Khairol Anuar Mohamad Tawi
Chairman, SIRIM Berhad
3. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Omar Shariff Mydeen
Chairman, SIRIM QAS International
4. Puan Rema Devi A/P V.K. Padmanabhan
Chairperson, SIRIM Academy
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Salam Perpaduan, Salam Malaysia MADANI and a very good Afternoon.
1. Not long ago, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a concept we spoke about in the future tense, as something that would one day transform industries and redefine work. Today, its use is becoming widespread.
2. A recent global survey by McKinsey found that while nearly nine out of ten organisations use AI in at least one business function, most are still working to scale beyond pilots and embed AI across their operations. 1 In other words, the technology’s promise is becoming real, but the full measure of its impact is still unfolding.
3. The question before us, then, is not whether to adopt or to adapt. It is how to do both, and to do them well. Because adoption and adaptation are not competing choices. They are two wings of the same bird; one driving innovation, the other securing trust, together uplifting Malaysia’s digital future.
THE CASE FOR AI ADOPTION IN MALAYSIA
4. Across Malaysia, we are already seeing how AI adoption is driving transformation. According to AWS, some 2.4 million businesses – roughly 27 percent of Malaysian enterprises – have adopted AI, although most applications are still at an early stage of implementation.
5. In healthcare, AI is helping doctors detect diseases earlier and improve patient outcomes. In agriculture, it is guiding precision farming and optimising yields. In logistics and manufacturing, predictive analytics are reducing downtime, cutting waste, and boosting productivity.
6. Even within the standards and quality ecosystem, where many of you here today are represented, AI adoption is quietly reshaping practice.
7. It is automating inspection and certification, improving consistency in testing, and identifying defects that the human eye might miss. It is analysing vast streams of data to prevent errors before they occur — ensuring that the products we make, the systems we certify, and the services we deliver meet the highest standards of safety and trust.
8. And in the public sector, data-driven tools are driving productivity gains. Last year, the Ministry of Digital ran a pilot with 270 officers to test how AI could improve daily work. Today, that pilot has grown into a nationwide rollout reaching 445,000 officers, moving us from proof of concept to practice.
THE CASE FOR AI ADAPTATION IN MALAYSIA
Ladies & Gentlemen,
9. But as we adopt more deeply, we must also recognise that AI is not just transforming surface-level applications. It is reshaping the very foundations of how our economies function, how decisions 4 are made, and how trust is built in a digital society.
10. The rise of AI demands that we adapt — our systems, our institutions, and our people. If adoption is about speed and scale, adaptation is about stewardship and sustainability.
11. Because the promise of AI also brings a new class of risks — questions about data integrity, algorithmic bias, accountability, and the transparency of decisions made by machines.
12. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in our systems and decisions, how do we ensure that what is efficient also remains ethical? How do we balance automation with human oversight, innovation with inclusion, speed with safety? And how do we preserve trust, not only in the technologies we build, but in the institutions that govern them?
BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN AI NATION
Ladies and Gentlemen,
13. These concerns must be met with foresight and wisdom. And Malaysia is adapting to the world’s shifting realities in three important ways — through infrastructure, digital trust, and talent.
14. First, through infrastructure. We are strengthening the foundations that make AI innovation possible — the data, connectivity, and compute capabilities that form the bedrock of our digital economy.
15. This is about preparing the ground — ensuring that the next generation of AI systems can be trained, tested, and trusted on Malaysian soil. It is about ensuring our technology stack is future-ready and meets the needs of our homegrown innovators.
16. Second, through digital trust. AI can only create value when people have confidence that it is used safely and ethically.
17. That is why we are reinforcing the governance frameworks that underpin responsible innovation — from strengthening cybersecurity through the Cyber Security Act 2024, to safeguarding personal data through the Personal Data Protection Act 2010.
18. And we are rising to meet the challenges of this technological moment. Through the National AI Office (NAIO), Malaysia is developing the National AI Action Plan (2026-2030) — a roadmap to guide our journey toward becoming an AI Nation by 2030.
19. Complementing this will be a Digital Trust and Data Security Strategy (2026–2030) — the other side of the same coin — which ensures that Malaysia’s progress in AI is matched by the strength of our governance and integrity of our digital ecosystem.
20. In parallel, NAIO is working to align local ecosystems with international AI standards. This includes efforts to localise key ISO standards on AI management, risk governance, and lifecycle practices, ensuring that our policies and guidelines are built on 6 globally recognised principles of safety, transparency, and accountability.
21. Third, through talent. In an era where AI is reshaping the very nature of work, adaptation is not an option; it is a necessity.
22. An impact study on the AI, digital, and green economy commissioned by TalentCorp has found that 620,000 jobs across 10 critical sectors are expected to be highly affected over the next three to five years.
23. To prepare for this shift, the Government has established the MyMahir National AI Council for Industry — a platform that coordinates AI talent development, adoption strategies, and cross-sectoral collaboration across government, academia, and industry.
24. These efforts are complemented by strategic collaborations with global technology partners, aimed at upskilling and reskilling Malaysians at scale. Through these partnerships, hundreds of thousands of Malaysians are being trained in AI fluency and skills.
ADOPTION AND ADAPTATION, TOGETHER
Ladies and Gentlemen,
25. When we ask, “To adopt or to adapt?” the answer is both — in balance, for mutual benefit. Adoption drives progress. Adaptation secures trust. Both are needed for a flourishing AI ecosystem that serves the greater good of all.
26. Collectively, they chart a path for Malaysia to not only participate in the AI revolution, but to guide its evolution in ways that serve our people and our principles.
27. Because the measure of our AI journey will not be in how advanced our systems become, but in how wisely we use them — to empower all Malaysians to thrive in our changing world.
Thank you.
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