The Malaysian government has launched the ‘AI Untuk Rakyat’ program, encouraging citizens to seize the opportunity to enhance their understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Economy minister Rafizi Ramli emphasised the importance of a basic knowledge of AI, stating that it can unlock numerous opportunities in the nation’s pursuit of a digitally-driven economy.
“By leveraging this opportunity, we can build a future-proof digital economy and enable Malaysia to generate higher value on the global stage,” he said in his speech during the program’s launch, which was officialised by prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. “Together, we can collectively build a technologically savvy society to achieve the aspiration of becoming a digitally-driven economy by 2030.”
The economy minister also highlighted the AI Untuk Rakyat program’s role in providing students with a foundational understanding of the AI world, intending to spark their interest and potentially lead to careers in the sector. For other segments of society, the initiative offers a fundamental understanding of AI, dispelling exaggerated portrayals from films and emphasising the technology’s potential benefits at individual, community, and national levels.
AI Untuk Rakyat is open to all Malaysians for free and is available in Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin, and Tamil. It consists of two modules: AI Aware and AI Appreciate. The self-paced learning approach allows participants to complete the program at their own speed, with the entire course taking approximately four hours. Those interested can access the program through the www.ai.gov.my portal.
The government aims to engage one million participants within a three-year period and plans to promote the initiative through various channels, including social media and collaborations with government departments and agencies such as Rakan Muda, digital economy centres (PEDi), the National Science Centre, as well as private sector players.
(Source: New Straits Times / Ministry of Economy [Facebook])
