A full report outlining Malaysia's proposed regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to be completed by the end of June, says Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
The report, currently being finalised by the National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO), established last year under the Digital Ministry, will form the basis for how the country approaches AI regulation, whether through legislation, new rules, or the adoption of common standards.
00:00I have a few questions, but on AI, is there any more questions on data that you want to finish with?
00:08So we have several AI initiatives underway, but what's the government's plan to ensure we own the core technology, not just adopt foreign made models?
00:18Well, this is the reason why we set up the National AI Office. The National AI Office is now entrusted with the task of seeking views from the industry and looking at how it is we can build a structure that will do just that.
00:38At the end of the day, we want to be not just followers, we want to lead in what they call AI in the region, and I think that's something that we are more than capable of doing.
00:51But AI is something that stretches across all sectors, so it's large. So what we need to do is to build a structure that looks at different sectors, different challenges they have, and of course at the end of the day, how we deal with those challenges moving ahead.
01:04So there will be some sectors where we will find ourselves far ahead, and of course being able, or being in a position to do a lot more in terms of leading in those industries.
01:13There will be some sectors in which we will have to, of course, look at how it is we can get assistance or what do you call, yeah, assistance from others to build our ecosystem around AI in that sector.
01:28So we are heading towards that, building, owning, and exporting as well. Why is that too far ahead?
01:35I don't think that's too far ahead. It depends on the sector. Because in some sectors, see AI is different, the challenges are different in every sector.
01:42That's why National AI exists, the office exists. So there are discussions now which will identify, number one, the priority areas.
01:49So for example, as I said in my speech earlier, which are the priority areas that we have? And then, of course, what are the solutions we need?
01:56What's the kind of data that we need for those solutions? And then look at what we have in terms of assets that currently already exist, how we can build on those assets.
02:04And of course, if we don't have the capacity, then from where we can actually source that kind of technology so that it will help us to build our own ecosystem.
02:12So it's different for every sector. But you're right, definitely when we look at this, we want to be in a position where we can lead, especially in sectors where we already have assets, talent, and expertise available to us.
02:24But in areas where we need help, of course, we are prepared to look beyond our country and see what kind of assistance we can get to build those ecosystems.
02:35By any chance, do you think it will include Islamic finance or multilingual NLT?
02:41Definitely, definitely. I mean, these are, so finance, of course, comes under Ministry of Finance. Recall that these are things that they're looking at, the Bank Negara.
02:51There are separate, what you call, committees that look into this. But as I said earlier, we are looking at AI that stretches across all sectors. All sectors.
