The AI dividend: Advancing shared prosperity in Malaysia and China

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant concept confined to science fiction or research laboratories. Today, it is actively reshaping the global economy, driving productivity, innovation, and transforming everyday life. As governments and industries increasingly embrace these technological breakthroughs, a central policy challenge emerges: who truly benefits from this revolution? The answer will determine whether the “AI dividend”, the economic and social surplus generated by automated productivity, becomes a driver of shared prosperity or a source of widening inequality. For countries like Malaysia and China, the immediate task is not only to accelerate technological adoption but also to rapidly align AI development with the broader goal of equitable wealth distribution.

AI and the Promise of Inclusive Growth