Malaysia AI news today:
About 500 technology leaders and policymakers met at the PIKOM LEAD 2026 Summit to discuss making Malaysia a regional AI powerhouse. MDEC chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah said in the keynote that building domestic agentic AI capacity is imperative, according to Citizens Journal.
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Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo says Google's US$15 billion investment in Malaysia, announced on 4 November, must translate into local AI capabilities and not only data centres. According to Digital News Asia, the money is planned over 2027 and 2028 and builds on Google's earlier US$2 billion commitment.
Amazon Web Services launched Semarak AI Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on 4 November, a national programme targeting up to 445,000 government officers and 10,000 small and medium enterprises. The programme gives government officers access to the Amazon Quick AI tool for work such as procurement analysis and policy research.
Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong on 5 November urged Malaysian accountants to become more multidisciplinary as AI reshapes the finance profession. According to Malay Mail, he said AI would displace some less sophisticated accounting roles but is likely to create others that depend on human judgement.
Hong Leong Bank has moved all 10 trainees in its graduating tech cohort into permanent roles, Fintech News Malaysia reported on 5 November. During their rotations the trainees deployed AI chatbots using Google's Agent Development Kit and worked with UiPath automation tools.
Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak and Global Vision Lab Sdn Bhd are exploring a proposed AI data centre in Perak with planned capacity above 100MW. According to The Sun, the parties have signed a non-disclosure agreement and a letter of consent for preliminary assessments, and the capacity is a planning target that has not been finalised.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo told the Dewan Rakyat that the proposed AI Governance Bill is complete and will go to the Cabinet in the near future, with tabling planned by early 2027. According to Bernama, the bill would require those who develop, provide or use AI systems to take responsibility for identifying, assessing and managing risks.
Customs at Kuala Lumpur International Airport stopped an attempt to transit 30 servers containing advanced AI chips worth nearly RM49.5 million without authorisation. According to Malay Mail, citing Bernama, KLIA Customs director Aspalila Ag. Tuah said it is the fifth case this year involving the same syndicate, with seizures across all five exceeding RM100 million.
A study by Pearson and Amazon Web Services found that 69% of Malaysian employers find it hard to hire graduates with the right skills as AI spreads in the workplace. According to the New Straits Times, the report, launched in Kuala Lumpur, also found 77% of Malaysian learners believe they are ready for work, while 70% say university prepares them well.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said SoftBank chairman Masayoshi Son has chosen Sarawak's Kuching and Peninsular Malaysia for US$50 billion in investments covering AI, new technology and data centres. According to Bloomberg, carried by The Star, Anwar made the remarks in a speech in Melaka after a videoconference with Son, and SoftBank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Research firm BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, says Johor's data centre industry could use more than 90% of the extra electricity generated in Peninsular Malaysia over the next five years. According to The Edge Malaysia, BMI estimates the state's data centres will need about 30 TWh a year by 2031, or 18% of the peninsula's total supply, up from 6% in 2026.
Government strategy, regulation, governance and the National AI Office.
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