KUALA LUMPUR: Artificial Intelligence (AI) will bridge development gaps, empower small businesses and communities across Asean, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“For Asean, this is a generational opportunity. With over 700 million citizens, a rapidly growing digital economy and an extraordinary diversity of cultures and languages, our region is uniquely placed to shape AI in ways that are inclusive, ethical and true to our shared values,” he said when launching the Asean AI Summit 2025 here on Tuesday (Aug 12).
He also said that Asean should be a leader in harnessing AI through innovation grounded in trust, rooted in equity, and proudly shaped by Southeast Asian values.
“In doing so, we will ensure that the true measure of AI’s success is not in the sophistication
of its technology but in its ability to meaningfully uplift the lives of our rakyat in a way that is sustainable, inclusive and just,” he added.
With the 13th Malaysia Plan, Anwar said that the government was committed to digital transformation and must drive sustainable and inclusive growth.
He also said that at the centre of that transformation was Malaysia’s ambition to be an AI Nation.
“AI will not be a tool for the few. It will be a force for all, powering better governance, sparking innovation, and improving lives.
“Through our AI Nation Framework, we will ensure that AI works for every Malaysian, in every corner of the country,” he added.
Anwar also launched Malaysia’s first large language model (LLM), called Ilmu.
The model was fully developed in Malaysia by YTL AI Lab.
