KUALA LUMPUR: From designing smarter homes to creating more liveable cities, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to reshape Malaysia's built environment as architects, developers and policymakers embrace a new era of technology-driven innovation.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said AI was already being adopted by architects and civil servants in various aspects of design work, in line with the government's ambition of transforming Malaysia into an AI nation by 2030.
"AI is no longer a vision. It is now part of our mission," he said when met after opening the Asean Real Estate Conference (AREC) 2026 and ARCHIDEX 2026 here on Thursday (July 30).
Nga said architects and civil servants had already begun incorporating AI into their work, adding that the technology was gradually becoming part of the industry's day-to-day operations.
"We are actually starting to implement it," he said, adding that Malaysia was well-positioned to embrace AI as it develops its sovereign AI capabilities and works with global technology company Nvidia.
"Malaysia has great potential," he added.
AREC x ARCHIDEX 2026 brought together architects, designers, developers, manufacturers, policymakers and other built environment professionals from Malaysia and abroad, while attracting thousands of trade visitors.
In his speech, Nga said housing had evolved beyond providing shelter, with today's homes serving as places where people live, work, learn and build communities.
"A house is built by bricks and mortar, but a home is built by hopes and dreams," he said, adding that the conference theme, "Rethinking Real Estate: Housing with Heart," reflected the need to place people at the centre of future urban development.
"Our vision is clear. We want urban environments that are not only liveable, but also truly lovable," he said, stressing that quality housing should be complemented by access to jobs, education, healthcare, public transport and green spaces.
When asked, Nga called on developers and consumers to support locally manufactured building products under the government's Buy Malaysia First policy, saying continuous innovation and quality improvements remained essential for local brands to compete internationally.
"Support local. Buy Malaysian products first," he said.
Nga also welcomed a collaboration between the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) to offer a 10% discount on selected residential properties to visitors of ARCHIDEX 2026.
He said the initiative would make homeownership more affordable for prospective buyers while complementing the ministry's ongoing housing reforms, including efforts to digitalise the home-buying process and strengthen consumer protection.
Held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), AREC x ARCHIDEX 2026 has brought together approximately 860 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions, attracting an estimated 40,000 trade visitors from more than 100 countries and generating an expected RM1.4bil in business transactions.
Nga said the event showcased Malaysia's growing influence as a regional hub for architecture, construction, design and the built environment, while reinforcing the importance of close collaboration between the public and private sectors in shaping the cities of tomorrow.
"Whether you are a policymaker, an architect, a planner, a developer or an industry player, we are gathered here today for one shared purpose - to build cities that are more liveable, and more lovable, for the people who call them home," he said.
