KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must prepare its workforce for the artificial intelligence (AI) era through stronger education, skills training and talent development to ensure the country fully benefits from rapid technological change, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said technology, finance and innovation should create quality jobs, strengthen local capabilities and expand opportunities for businesses, while the financial sector had a vital role in improving access to credit and supporting inclusive economic growth.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony for Ant International’s Global Operations Centre here, Anwar said AI was reshaping not only the way businesses operate but also how commerce, lending and financial markets function.
“We are standing on the cusp of a new digital financial renaissance. Artificial intelligence is creating new ways of building trust, assessing risk, and expanding access to financial services,” he said when officiating the ceremony on Wednesday (July 1).
He said the AI era would require Malaysia to equip its workforce with the right skills to meet future industry demands while ensuring technological progress translated into tangible benefits for the people.
“As we welcome Ant International’s decision to establish its Global Operations Centre in Kuala Lumpur, let us be clear about the purpose that must guide this endeavour.
“Technology, finance, and innovation cannot be ends in themselves.
“They must add true value to the economy by generating quality jobs, strengthening local capabilities, expanding opportunities for businesses and widening affordable access to services for those who have traditionally been left behind,” he said.
Anwar said technological advancement must improve productivity, strengthen economic resilience and raise the quality of life, adding that innovation should ensure the benefits of growth were shared widely instead of enriching only a select few.
“This is not merely about corporate enrichment, but about people-centric progress,” he added.
He said no industry had a greater impact on people’s daily lives than finance, as financial services could help families facing unexpected expenses while enabling small traders to expand into global markets.
“Financial services could inject the credit needed for a family confronting medical bills or scale traders to reach customers across the world as readily as those across the street.”
The Prime Minister said AI, including large language models, could remove barriers, improve communication and create new opportunities for trade and innovation if deployed responsibly.
However, he cautioned that such technologies also concentrated significant power in the hands of those controlling data, digital platforms and infrastructure.
“We must therefore ensure that human judgment remains at the centre of decision-making, even as machines become more capable and sophisticated.
“As the Global Operations Centre embarks on this new chapter in Malaysia, the talents and those of you operating in this space must hold on to trust and security as the ethos we live by.
“Those you serve must be able to trust that their money is secure, their information protected, and the judgments made about them fair,” he said.
Anwar said the government was finalising the AI Governance Bill to establish a regulatory framework for the human-machine future.
The legislation would complement existing laws, including the Cybersecurity Act and data protection regulations.
He said digital trust remained the foundation of Malaysia’s digital economy agenda and was a key priority under the 13th Malaysia Plan and the final phase of the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint.
“Ant International has chosen Malaysia as the home for its global operations centre, the first fintech company of its kind to do so here, where others have established only a regional base.
“This reflects growing confidence in Malaysia's ability to host higher-value functions involving technology, innovation, artificial intelligence and global service delivery,” the prime minister added.
