PM Anwar calls for laws to protect copyright, local creativity amid AI boom


SHAH ALAM: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has proposed the introduction of legal provisions to safeguard the copyright and authenticity of local creative works in light of the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Anwar said the Communications Ministry and the Digital Ministry must take immediate action to ensure that local works are protected from risks and vulnerabilities arising from the advancement of AI technology, such as plagiarism.

"On the issue of copyright, the protection is not limited to cartoonists but also covers films, poems and other creative works, which at times face copyright challenges due to the development of AI,” he said at the launch of ‘Melukis Dengan Hati: Biografi Perjalanan Seni 50 Tahun Karya Zunar’ at Pustaka Raja Tun Uda on Tuesday (July 22).

"This legal protection is to ensure that creativity and the artistic abilities of creators are not stifled by copyright disputes or questions over the authenticity of their works,” he said.

Anwar also added that there must be more local AI technology experts to ensure that the development of AI in Malaysia aligns with the nation's values and societal norms.

The Prime Minister said that while the country's existing AI policy has never neglected local values, the younger generation must still be trained to master the necessary knowledge, so that whatever AI produces reflects local perspectives.

"Everyone acknowledges that AI is a new technology, but we must understand that what AI generates is based on inputs and data largely shaped by Western countries," he said.

Present at the launch were Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Also present were the Prime Minister's wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Selangor Public Library Corporation director, Datin Paduka Mastura Muhamad; and renowned cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwarul Haque, better known as Zunar. – Bernama

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