PUTRAJAYA: The Artificial Intelligence Governance and Ethics (AIGE), launched on Friday (Sept 20), will serve as an initial reference for industries and AI players, rather than a legal requirement, says Chang Lih Kang.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister expressed hope that certain aspects of the guidelines will eventually be legislated, although he acknowledged that this process may take time.
"Before introducing new laws, we want these guidelines to act as a reference for industries and AI players. They should view them as a discipline to adhere to," he told the media during the AIGE launch.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof officiated the launch of the guidelines. Also present was Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
When asked why the government has not yet legislated the guidelines, Chang noted that existing laws are adequate to address related activities.
However, he recognised the rapid advancement of AI, highlighting the need for a common reference.
"The next step in our AI and blockchain roadmaps is to continue engagement with other ministries and agencies, including the Digital Ministry, the Higher Education Ministry, and the Education Ministry, to ensure the guidelines remain relevant," he said.
Chang said this in response to Fadillah's proposal to integrate AI into the early education curriculum.
Earlier, in his speech, Fadillah emphasised the importance of including early education on technology ethics, particularly concerning artificial intelligence (AI), in the curriculum.
Fadillah also noted that it is essential for young people, especially students, to be educated on responsible technology use.
In a related development, Chang announced the government plans to establish an AI office in November this year to further advance AI initiatives.
Meanwhile, Gobind said that the AIGE guidelines align with Asean's initiative to develop AI governance and ethics guidelines, aimed at promoting coordination of the AI framework among Southeast Asian countries.
"This new development will certainly help Malaysia fulfil its role as chair of Asean in 2025," he said.
He added that the AI governance and ethics guidelines could strengthen existing laws, such as the Cyber Security Act 2024, which came into effect on Aug 26, and the recently amended Personal Data Protection Act 2010.
Additionally, by the end of this year, the Digital Ministry will present a draft of the Data Sharing Bill, designed to regulate data sharing among public sector agencies, he said. – Bernama
