The government has launched the National AI Office (NAIO) today on 12 December 2024. This was officiated through an event held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), with the attendance of prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, digital minister Gobind Singh Deo, MITI minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, and transport minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
NAIO is expected to serve as a centralised agency for AI, as Malaysia looks to establish itself as a regional hub for development of that technology. According to details published on the office’s website, its key roles include providing strategic planning, research and development as well as regulatory oversight, among others. In regards to location, NAIO is currently based at the same office as the digital ministry’s MyDIGITAL Corporation in Putrajaya.
“NAIO’s establishment was driven by the need to address issues of digital literacy, not only among government staff and politicians, but in bringing change to education for millions of children,” prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said in his speech during the launch. “The AI Office will see coordination of efforts in research and implementation.”
It will pursue seven deliverables in its first year, including developing a code of ethics, an AI regulatory framework and a five-year AI technology action plan until 2030. Additionally, NAIO will be positioned to help boost Malaysia’s digital ecosystem and economy, with the latter expected to contribute 23% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by next year and RM120 billion by 2030.
At the same event, the government also announced strategic partnerships with six companies, including Toshiba, The Hive and YTL. The remaining three are Amazon, Google and Microsoft, which have already announced data centre, cloud and AI projects in Malaysia in the past year.
Meanwhile, digital minister Gobind Singh revealed during the post-event press conference that all seven “key positions” in NAIO have already been filled. This is likely referring to the job vacancies shared on its website back in early October, which includes the role of the office’s CEO, Director AI Policy Lab, Director of AI Innovation Exchange and more.
