PETALING JAYA: The National Archives of Malaysia is developing its Digital Records and Archival Management System (D-ReAMS) with AI-powered functions, aimed at making the processing, preservation and discovery of archival material more efficient.
“Among the key features we plan to introduce in D-ReAMS to assist our archivists include using AI to help restore older archival materials and using computer vision to identify elements such as objects or buildings in photos or maps,” said director-general Zaidin Mohd Noor (pic) in an interview with StarLifestyle.
The digital transformation initiative has a budget allocation of RM32mil and is expected to be launched in 2028.
Another key feature in development is a chatbot called Aina, or Artificial Intelligence National Archives, which is expected to handle user queries and help them find relevant archival materials based on the context and meaning of their searches.
Aina is also expected to be launched in 2028.
Zaidin said the National Archives is already using AI in the early stages of archival material management.
“For now, AI serves as a supporting tool for our officers through the MyGOVUC platform, helping to improve work efficiency, speed up information analysis and assist with certain aspects of their work.”
An AI policy is also being developed to ensure the technology is used in line with the National Archives’ “digital preservation first” principle.
“The original material must always be preserved and remain unaltered. Any output generated by AI will be validated by the officer in charge before it is accepted as reference material or made accessible to users.”
He added that such measures are crucial to ensuring the authenticity, integrity, context and evidentiary value of archival materials remain protected.
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