Govt to open up info network to speed up AI growth

KUALA LUMPUR: Students and members of academia will have access to a vast network of information in just two weeks as part of the government’s effort to enhance Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country.

The information, via cloud computing, will be tapped from the various ministries, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

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The Prime Minister made the promise after a question from a student representative about having access to advanced computer facilities via a centralised cloud computing.

“This is about synergy, cloud computing at the moment has limited access, but our policy is that we want to accelerate (access to information).

“We will ask the Digital Ministry, Communications Ministry and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to coordinate this in a simpler format.

“Give us two weeks. All the research bodies in the inter-ministry have to be ready in terms of access for all the universities,” he said at the launch of the Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Nexus-Boosting the Future at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Also present were Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang and Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.

Anwar said the government had synchronised all scientific institutions with universities, which had been working in silos and had untapped research.

Mandatory identification of departments and professors in complementing research fields was enforced last year.

He then went on to point out the need for synergy cuts across many aspects, including the Prime Minister’s Office, Cybersecurity Malaysia and Defence Ministry.

He added that it was important to anticipate threats from outside, which meant strengthening cybersecurity in terms of AI.

Earlier, in his speech, he called for the acceleration of efforts to push the pace of AI development in the country.

He said the governance of the AI ecosystem needed to be systematic, with professional and skilled talent who can work with multinational corporations and the Malaysian Artificial Intelligence Consortium (MAIC).

He said there had to be emphasis on mathematics and science at universities, and they had to be made more appealing as there was a lack of interest in these subjects among the younger generation.

He also said there was a weakness in terms of specialisation, especially with a shortage of 30,000 engineers.

“We cannot use old approaches. If we want more engineers, then a quicker approach is needed to produce them. Changes must be made swiftly and properly,” he said.

Anwar presented an appointment letter to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia for the setting up of the MAIC. He also launched the AI Talent Roadmap 2024-2030 and Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI) and MAIC.