KUALA LUMPUR: The real battle for Malaysia in pursuing technological advancement is ensuring it is guided by ethics, culture and societal values so progress is meaningful and sustainable, says the Prime Minister.
“For Malaysia, technological advancement must never be, or become detached from the society it is meant to serve.
“We should pursue capability with confidence, but never at the expense of judgment, dignity or a clear sense of who we are becoming in the process,” said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his keynote address at the International Future Conference (IFC) 2026.
He said discussions on the future should not be confined to algorithms, computing power or economic outcomes alone, but must also incorporate philosophy, history and moral considerations.
“In other words, the advancement of technology must be in lockstep with the humanities, morality and theology to read the signal that should be in the future,” he added.
Anwar also called for a more holistic approach to future studies, drawing on Islamic traditions that historically integrated science, philosophy and ethics.
He noted that Malaysia is likely among the few Muslim-majority countries that have become key destinations for investment in new technology, semiconductors and AI data centres.
Hence, he said, Malaysia must ensure that its push towards becoming a technology-driven economy remains people-centric and inclusive.
The two-day conference focuses on rapidly evolving global changes and challenges, including artificial intelligence, digital economy, space technology, climate change, energy transition and socioeconomic governance.
