The National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO) will be officially institutionalised on 28 July 2026, according to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo. The move will formalise the agency’s role in shaping Malaysia’s artificial intelligence (AI) policies, governance framework, and broader AI ecosystem.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Digital Realty data centre campus today, Gobind said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had confirmed the launch date. Currently, NAIO operates as an agency under incubation at MyDIGITAL Corporation, but its institutionalisation will grant it a more formal mandate to coordinate AI-related initiatives nationwide.
According to the minister, NAIO will oversee not only AI policy development but also governance and talent cultivation, while supporting local players capable of building AI technologies. He added that the agency will play a central role in driving the government’s AI Nation 2030 vision.
Just to recap, NAIO was officially launched in December 2024 as a strategic initiative under the Digital Ministry. At the time, the government said the office would serve as the central agency for coordinating Malaysia’s AI agenda and help position the country as a regional leader in artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
Gobind also revealed that the government is continuing work on Malaysia’s AI Governance Framework. At present, a dedicated department within NAIO is tasked with drafting it, while a standards office based in Cyberjaya will eventually become part of the organisation.
Apart from standards and governance, the government is also studying whether dedicated AI legislation may be necessary in the future. Gobind said an advisory body is being considered to help shape future regulations, although he stressed that any eventual framework should remain flexible enough to adapt to the rapid pace of technological change.
“This is also the reason why NAIO is going to be institutionalised,” he said. Gobind added that the agency would bring together experts to anticipate future challenges and establish appropriate guardrails for the technology.
Separately, the Digital Ministry is also working towards establishing a Data Commission to oversee data governance in Malaysia. According to Gobind, the commission is currently being studied from a statutory perspective, with a target introduction sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.
