AI for all

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), with the help of local and international artificial intelligence (AI) experts, has developed a basic structure for the curriculum that can be adopted by other institutions to create their own AI-focused curriculum.

The varsity’s AI Faculty – a first for the country – is set to welcome the first batch of 120 Bachelor in AI degree students this October, with the number of seats to be increased over the years, said its dean Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Naz’ri Mahrin.

He said there are plans to offer Bachelor of AI with different specialities such as manufacturing or agriculture.

“We need to have something that is more targeted because AI is everywhere, in every domain.This could lead to big, impactful results or change in the sector.

“Also in the pipeline for us is a master’s degree by research and coursework, and PhD programmes in AI that we hope to offer by early next year,” he told StarEdu.

While specialising in AI through Bachelor in Science programmes is not new in Malaysia, Mohd Naz’ri said what needs to be done now is to aggressively push, embrace and adopt AI in higher learning institutions.

“We have been tasked to initiate this but it will be replicated by other universities later on. We will support them in developing their AI curriculum,” he said.

Mohd Naz’ri said after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the establishment of the AI Faculty last year, UTM had met with then Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin to discuss its opening.

“Mohamed Khaled (the current Defence Minister) said the government wanted more AI talent in the market. The government’s negotiations with investors and businesses also revealed that they need these talents in order to open up businesses here. In fact, it’s almost a ‘condition’ for them to invest and open shop here,” he shared.

He said these companies want local AI manpower because it is more cost-effective.

Globally, he added, there is a shortage of AI talent and countries like Japan are rushing to produce enough manpower to meet their industry needs.

Malaysia alone needs about 200,000 AI talents according to the AI Roadmap 2021-2025, he said, adding that they will come from undergraduates, postgraduates and professional practices.

While this number looks daunting, Mohd Naz’ri said the Higher Education Ministry has set up the Malaysian AI Consortium, which currently has 75 members, to be a platform for collaboration as they “cannot do this alone”.

The consortium consists of all public universities, selected private universities that run AI-related programmes and some technology companies such as Google, Microsoft and Ericsson.

“We need to strategise and carry out this mandate together. I do not think we can do this in silos,” he added.

Last month, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir officiated the launch of the faculty at the UTM Kuala Lumpur campus.

In his speech, the Higher Education Minister said Malaysia’s first Faculty of AI would lead the way in the integration and teaching of AI throughout the country amid today’s rapidly changing technology.

Describing the faculty as “a catalyst for an integrated AI education system”, he said it showcased Malaysia’s readiness for AI transformation in higher education.

International Islamic University of Malaysia Emeritus Prof Datuk Dr Osman Bakar, who was also present at the launch on May 10, said the AI faculty should explore and come up with a code of ethics for AI professionals.

Stressing that AI will not see the end of jobs for humans, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Big Data (AIBIG) director Dr Muhammad Akmal Remli said, for the most part, it will transform the work people do.

“We must embrace these changes or risk falling behind. This shift is not just necessary; it’s a chance to improve our educational practices. At its core, education is about more than just imparting knowledge and student development; it is about fostering humanity, skills and integrity.

“The key is not to replace learning outcomes or content with AI but to use AI to assist in student understanding and make the learning process easier and more enjoyable,” he added.