PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's ambitions to become a leading artificial intelligence (AI) nation can only succeed if the groundwork begins in schools, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the institutionalisation of the country's first National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO) would only be meaningful if students are prepared from an early age.
"The NAIO will not mean anything if there is no preparation in our primary and secondary schools," Anwar said during his address at the Education Ministry's monthly assembly here on Tuesday (July 28).
He said this was why the government is implementing mathematics transformation initiatives and strengthening science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
"Schools remain the foundation of Malaysia's aspirations to become a technologically advanced nation," Anwar said.
"I want society, parents and policymakers to understand this. We can launch the NAIO because it will determine whether Malaysia can reach greater heights and secure its future, but the foundation still lies in our schools," he added.
The NAIO was institutionalised on Tuesday by the Prime Minister as the agency tasked with developing policies surrounding the governance of AI in Malaysia.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said NAIO, launched in December 2024, was an agency under incubation at MyDigital Corporation.
