(From left) Sia, Amirudin and Mohd Nazri at the launch of Teraju AI Selangor that will see state agencies effectively and responsibly harness new technology to benefit the public.
Selangor government, through Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre (STDC) and Google Cloud, has launched Teraju AI Selangor.
This joint initiative aims to help state government agencies build and implement custom artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.
Teraju AI Selangor aims to enable these agencies to enhance public services in various aspects, including citizen communications, education, healthcare, transportation, physical infrastructure maintenance and advance projects that boost tourism and agricultural output.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who was guest of honour at the launch held at Google Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, said the state recognised the potential of generative AI (gen AI) and agentic AI (AI that can act autonomously) to reshape public service and accelerate Selangor’s transformation into a leading smart state.
“We’re therefore taking action through Teraju AI Selangor, equipping state agencies with the essential toolset and training to help them effectively and responsibly harness these technologies,” he said.
He expressed confidence in Google Cloud’s capability to enable the rapid development of functional AI solutions with strong guardrails.
“I must also stress that throughout this initiative, we are prioritising safe and ethical use of data, with zero compromise on data privacy and security as we cannot take cyber threats lightly.
“I hope through this, Selangor can build a more responsive system of government that is fit for the 21st century while rivalling some of Asia’s best,” he added.
In a statement, STDC said through the initiative, Selangor has invested in an AI innovation sandbox that is the first of its kind in Malaysia’s public sector.
The sandbox will provide participating agencies with funded access to Google Cloud’s fully integrated AI technology stack for up to six weeks.
With access to these capabilities via a dedicated and secure Google Cloud environment, agencies can rapidly build their own gen AI and agentic AI solutions.
To ensure effective use of the sandbox, participating agencies will be enrolled in a full-day workshop by STDC and Google Cloud.
During this workshop, the agencies’ AI practitioners and developers will receive tailored, hands-on training.
This will enable them to identify strategic cases that can be addressed using AI.
Participants will also get to build at least one AI solution prototype.
They will then get to test and refine their prototypes over six weeks.
Afterwards, participants will present working solutions to a panel with representatives from Selangor government, STDC and Google Cloud.
Panel members will evaluate the functionality and readiness of these proposals.
Solutions most able to benefit Selangor’s citizens and economy will be showcased at the Teraju AI Selangor graduation ceremony later this year.
Further state funding may also be provided to enable full-scale implementation of solutions.
STDC chairman Mohd Nazri Noh expressed the centre’s pride in working with Google Cloud to lead Teraju AI Selangor.
“This initiative can be a catalyst for public service transformation.
“But, unlocking its full potential requires practical AI solution development and implementation experience.
“Teraju AI Selangor is designed to empower state agencies with an enterprise AI toolset and hands-on training curriculum, crafted by Google Cloud experts who have been shaping this field.
“This initiative will nurture a public sector workforce that’s capable of translating technological promise into real-world applications that deliver tangible value for communities,” he said.
Google Cloud Malaysia and Singapore country director Serene Sia said Selangor was poised to greatly benefit from Google’s investments in Malaysia and its leading AI capabilities.
“With Teraju AI Selangor, we’re deepening our partnership with Selangor government, working directly with state agencies and STDC to identify specific areas where AI can uplift productivity, enhance decision-making and deliver impactful services in support of state priorities like Rancangan Selangor.
“Google Cloud’s technology stack is purpose-built to address public sector organisations’ full spectrum of AI innovation needs, including security and privacy.
“We look forward to showcasing AI solutions that advance each agency’s mission and make a positive difference in the lives of citizens.”
