AI Malaysia Berhad

AI Malaysia Berhad is Malaysia's permanent national artificial intelligence entity, launched on 28 July 2026 under the Ministry of Digital to institutionalise and implement the country's national AI agenda. It succeeds the National AI Office (NAIO), which had served as a coordinating body since its inauguration on 12 December 2024, and is tasked with leading Malaysia's transformation into an "AI Nation" by 2030.^[1]

Establishment and Transition from NAIO

The National AI Office (NAIO) was originally established on 12 December 2024 as the government's coordinating office for AI policy, reporting to the Ministry of Digital and operationalised through MyDIGITAL Corporation. While NAIO successfully launched the AI Governance and Ethics Framework and coordinated early sectoral adoption pilots, it lacked a permanent institutional structure.^[1]

On 28 July 2026, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim formally launched AI Malaysia Bhd, transitioning NAIO from a coordinating office into a permanent entity with broader responsibilities and the mandate to implement policy directly across ministries, agencies, and stakeholders. The transition gives AI Malaysia a dedicated organisational structure, budget, and implementation authority that its predecessor lacked.^[1]

Shamsul Izhan Abdul Majid, who had headed NAIO since its establishment, ended his tenure in June 2026. The leadership of the new entity was pending announcement as of August 2026.^[1]

National AI Action Plan 2026–2030

Alongside the launch of AI Malaysia, the government unveiled the National AI Action Plan 2026–2030, the implementation framework for developing Malaysia's AI ecosystem. The plan sets out 28 initiatives organised in two tracks:^[1]

• 14 sectoral initiatives applying AI in priority areas including healthcare, agriculture, education, manufacturing, financial services, and public sector delivery.
• 14 foundational initiatives addressing talent development, innovation, infrastructure, governance, and financing needed to support the sectoral applications.

The plan is aligned with the Malaysia Digital 2030 Action Plan (MD2030) and positions AI as a central pillar of the country's economic transformation strategy.

Key Programmes

AI Untuk Rakyat

Prime Minister Anwar announced that the AI Untuk Rakyat programme would open on 31 August 2026 (Merdeka Day). Under the programme, Malaysians aged 18–30 who complete specified course modules through the Rakyat Digital platform will receive a free three-month subscription to a leading AI application, lowering barriers to AI literacy and adoption.^[1]

Rakyat Digital Portal

The Ministry of Digital, implemented by MyDIGITAL Corporation, launched the Rakyat Digital portal — a unified national platform for digital learning, future-ready skills training, and accessible AI resources. The portal was officially launched by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo at the AI Malaysia Takeover 2026 event on 11 August 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.^[2]

AI Malaysia Takeover 2026

The AI Malaysia Takeover 2026 (AIMTO_26), held on 11–12 August 2026 at The Campus in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, was the first major public event under the new entity. Organised by Ludic Asia and 500 Global with the Ministry of Digital and MyDIGITAL Corporation as strategic partners, the event featured a record-setting AI Learn-A-Thon, public exhibition, and ecosystem-building sessions. It followed the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025, which drew over 10,000 participants and convened digital ministers from six ASEAN countries.^[2][3]

Governance Philosophy

In announcing AI Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar articulated a pragmatic stance on AI adoption, stating: "In the debate over AI, we cannot begin from an anti-technology position. We must first master it. The danger is real — there are large companies that want to dominate the world through their AI capabilities and expertise. Does that mean we should abandon AI altogether? That is impossible. We must master the knowledge."^[1]

He further emphasised that the entire education system, beginning at the primary level, must provide exposure to AI, with trained teachers, additional funding, and overhauled basic infrastructure.

>See Also

• National AI Office Malaysia
• MDEC Malaysia
• AI Regulation Malaysia
• Malaysia AI Talent
• AI Data Centres Malaysia
• MyDigital Blueprint

References