Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has officially launched PMX.AI, an artificial intelligence-powered digital twin that allows Malaysians to interact with a virtual version of him through WhatsApp. Amusingly, the Prime Minister’s initials are also “AI”, although in this case, it stands for both Anwar Ibrahim and Artificial Intelligence.
Announced through Anwar’s social media channels yesterday, the initiative is being positioned as a new way for the government to engage with the public. It allows Malaysians to share feedback, raise concerns, and discuss ideas directly with the AI-powered avatar.
The accompanying launch video portrays the Prime Minister in a series of fictional scenarios. Despite these visual depictions, PMX.AI currently exists solely as a chatbot on WhatsApp, rather than a fully animated virtual assistant.
The launch also places Malaysia among a growing list of countries experimenting with AI in politics. According to Bloomberg, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung previously used an AI avatar during his election campaign to answer questions from voters, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has employed AI technology to deliver speeches in multiple languages.
A Digital Extension
According to Anwar, the AI avatar is intended to become a “digital extension” of himself that can continue listening to the public even when he cannot be physically present. In the launch video, the AI version of the Prime Minister describes itself as being inspired by Anwar’s values and vision, saying that AI opens up a new dimension for public engagement.
“What if all these sides of me could be present at the same time,” the avatar says. “Ready to listen, assist and serve the people.”
Anwar also encouraged Malaysians, particularly younger generations, to use the chatbot to share their views, concerns, and aspirations. He said the country’s development should continue to be shaped by the voices of its people.
Trained On Anwar’s Speeches And Policies
The AI avatar is developed by Zetrix AI Berhad, which previously revealed that the system is trained using Anwar’s speeches, writings, policy framework, personal preferences, and viewpoints to emulate how he thinks and responds. The company added that the platform has agentic AI capabilities that could eventually help citizens perform tasks such as applying for social assistance or completing government-related transactions.
Of course, whether PMX.AI actually responds the way Anwar himself would remain an open question. Ultimately, users should treat the chatbot as an AI assistant inspired by the Prime Minister rather than a literal replacement for him.
Like any large language model, its replies are generated based on training data and system instructions, meaning responses may not always perfectly reflect what the Prime Minister would personally say. It’ll also be interesting to see whether it adopts some of Anwar’s familiar speaking habits, perhaps including his apparent fondness for the word “billion.”
PMX.AI Chats Will Be Analysed
Since users access PMX.AI through WhatsApp, interactions are tied to their WhatsApp accounts and associated phone numbers. Those expecting a completely private conversation should also be aware that Zetrix AI has said chats with the AI avatar will be analysed by the Prime Minister and his team to better understand public sentiment and help inform future policymaking.
(Source: Anwar Ibrahim, via X / Zetrix AI press release)
