Malaysia is set to introduce a national cloud policy and ethical AI regulations, announced prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. This move aligns with recent significant investments by global tech companies in Malaysia, aiming to support the growing demand for cloud and AI services.
Anwar revealed that the national cloud policy will focus on four key areas: improving public service innovation, boosting economic growth and competitiveness, strengthening data security, and ensuring digital inclusivity. Moreover, a national AI office will be established to coordinate initiatives, including a five-year technology action plan and a regulatory framework to promote ethical AI adoption within the next year.
The prime minister also highlighted Malaysia’s ambition to become a hub for generative AI, stressing the importance of partnerships with tech firms in building secure digital infrastructure. His comments came during Google’s groundbreaking ceremony for its US$2 billion (~RM8.3 billion) data centre and cloud region in Malaysia earlier today.
Meanwhile, Google’s investment is expected to create 26,500 jobs and contribute over US$3.2 billion (~RM13.3 billion) to the country’s economy by 2030. The company has also formed a multi-year partnership with a local tech firm to offer sovereign cloud services, further expanding Malaysia’s digital landscape.
