GEORGE TOWN: Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo kicked off his two-day visit to Penang by inspecting the progress of the AI City initiative's implementation at the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) here.
He arrived at the MBPP Intelligent Operations Centre (IOP) at about 10.45am on Monday (April 28) and was welcomed by mayor Datuk A. Rajendran.
Gobind was briefed by Rajendran and his team on the progress of the Penang smart city initiative.
He told a press conference after the briefing that Penang's aspirations to become an AI city have been boosted significantly by leveraging suitable applications and technologies.
He said embracing AI-powered technologies would help the city accelerate efforts to modernise its infrastructure and services, increase productivity and efficiency, and ultimately enhance citizens' quality of life.
Also present were Deputy Digital Minister Datuk Wilson Ugak Anak Kumbong, ministry secretary-general Fabian Bigar, Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation (MDEC) chief executive officer Anuar Fariz Fazil, and Digital Nasional Berhad chief executive officer Datuk Azman Ismail.
The visit is part of the ministry's ongoing efforts to drive AI and 5G adoption in Malaysia.
Gobind is also scheduled to launch the ministry's northern office here on Tuesday (April 29).