PETALING JAYA: Some 100,000 Malaysian youths will have the opportunity to strengthen their digital skills and gain hands-on artificial intelligence (AI) experience under the government’s AI Untuk Rakyat programme.
Upon completing six self-paced modules, participants can access premium AI tools for academic work, creative projects and professional tasks, including Google’s Gemini, YTL’s ILMUChat, Alibaba Cloud’s MuleRun and WonderClip.
The modules have no time limit, but participants must complete each subsection before progressing.
Explanations are in simple English and Bahasa Malaysia.
To begin, applicants must log into the Rakyat Digital portal by scanning a QR code with their MyDigital ID, then access the six courses through the dashboard.
The first module outlines Malaysia’s AI goals, linking the programme to the government’s economic framework to “raise the ceiling” by growing national wealth and “raise the floor” by improving living standards.
It also explains how AI should benefit Malaysians while strengthening the country’s AI capabilities.
The module outlines six government core values – sustainability, prosperity, compassion, trust, respect and innovation – and how they apply to AI.
Participants are reminded that AI should be used responsibly, shared fairly and developed to benefit people and the environment.
The second module introduces youths to agentic AI systems that can take initiative instead of waiting for user prompts.
Learners explore its history, mechanics and applications through exercises using Copilot and ChatGPT.
The portal said the course demonstrates how agentic AI can handle everyday tasks, helping users direct technology to work for them.
The third module focuses on building trustworthy AI, stressing fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy and human- centric design.
Learners explore positive and negative applications of deepfakes and why the challenge lies not in the technology itself, but in how it is used.
Local case studies show how the lessons can be applied.
The fourth module introduces cloud computing, allowing users to store data, run applications and access computing resources without expensive hardware.
“There are three common core cloud services which are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).
“Each offers unique benefits tailored to different organisational needs,” the portal said.
The fifth module – CyberSAFE untuk Rakyat – covers cybersecurity and personal data protection, explaining threats such as malware, phishing and ransomware.
It highlights antivirus software, strong passwords, multi- factor authentication as well as regular updates.
It also explains the regulatory framework under personal data protection laws, including children’s online safety, open communication, parental controls and active supervision.
The final module traces AI’s evolution from systems that analyse data to generative AI that creates text, images and music.
“Learners are introduced to prompting techniques, the advantages and challenges of generative AI and key buzzwords such as natural language processing (NLP) and large language models (LLMs).
“The aim is to give participants both conceptual understanding and practical skills to engage confidently with modern AI tools,” the portal said.
After completing the modules, participants can redeem one of the four AI tools free for three months.
In a statement on Aug 30, the Digital Ministry said the initiative would give youths opportunities to explore advanced technology, enhance creativity, productivity and digital skills, and build confidence in using emerging technologies responsibly.
“This is in line with Malaysia’s aspiration to develop an inclusive AI Nation by 2030, aligned with the Malaysia Digital 2030 aspirations,” it said.
The programme was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the 2026 National Day Premier Address at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre on Aug 30.
