KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming part of everyday life, from how people search for information and communicate to how businesses serve their customers.
Now, the government wants to take that further, aiming to make Malaysia an “AI nation” by 2030.
What does that actually mean for Malaysians in their daily lives?
National AI Action Plan 2026 to 2030
The National AI Action Plan 2026–2030 is the government’s roadmap for increasing the responsible adoption and development of AI.
By 2030, the government wants AI to contribute an additional 1.2 percentage points to GDP growth and place Malaysia among the top 10 countries globally in the Global AI Index.
It also aims to create 300,000 jobs attributable to AI by 2030.
Changes that have taken place
One of the most visible changes could be how Malaysians deal with the government.
The plan calls for an AI-augmented civil service, using AI to improve public-service delivery and administrative efficiency.
MyGOV Malaysia is an early example.
As of July 2026, it had more than 2.9 million users and offered 52 services from 19 government agencies, including MyJPJ, MySejahtera, PriceCatcher, Portal Manfaat, Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah and immigration-related services.
The government is now testing agentic AI on MyGOV.
Unlike a conventional chatbot, agentic AI can understand what a user wants, identify the relevant service and, where authorised, help carry out the required steps.
The government has cited checking a police summons and proceeding to payment as an example.
The rollout is being phased in, with data privacy, security, accuracy and human oversight among the government’s considerations.
What has AI incorporation so far
The examples of government services that have incorporated AI include:
- MyJPJ — driving and vehicle services
- MySejahtera — health services
- PriceCatcher — consumer price information
- Portal Manfaat — government assistance information
- STR — cash aid-related services
- MySPR Semak — election information
- Immigration — passport and immigration services
- Examination services — examination results
The Ministry of Digital has confirmed the 19 participating agencies but has not published a complete agency-by-agency list in its latest announcement.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo has described Malaysia’s AI push as a “whole-of-nation” approach, involving government, industry, academia and the public.
Jobs will change
The government is looking at creating 300,000 AI-attributable jobs by 2030, although it has not published a breakdown by occupation.
TalentCorp has identified emerging roles including AI engineers, AI and machine-learning application engineers, AI integration engineers, data scientists, data engineers, AI auditors and AI ethicists.
Its study covers 949 roles across 10 sectors, including electrical and electronics, aerospace, energy and power, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, global business services, ICT and retail.
The government is also targeting 700,000 workers for reskilling under its Malaysia Digital 2030 Action Plan, through programmes such as Jelajah AI MyMahir.
No need to panic, try to adapt
AI is expected to change the way Malaysians work, but the government’s approach is not simply about replacing workers with machines.
TalentCorp has warned that hundreds of thousands of Malaysian workers could be significantly affected by technological changes if reskilling and upskilling are not intensified.
Its response includes programmes such as Jelajah AI MyMahir, which provides practical AI training to different groups.
In other words, the message is less “AI will take your job” and more “your job may change, so learn how to work with AI”.
In line with this, the government has set a target to transform 80 per cent of the population to be digitally literate by 2030.
Free AI education
The government is already providing free digital and AI courses through Rakyat Digital, covering areas such as generative AI, cybersecurity and cloud technology.
Under AI Untuk Rakyat, the government is targeting 100,000 Malaysian youths aged 18 to 30 through 2027, with the programme rolling out in phases from August 31, 2026.
Those who complete and pass all required modules will receive a free three-month subscription to a suite of selected AI applications and software.
Beyond jobs and government services
The government is also working to expand AI adoption in healthcare, education, transportation, agriculture and small businesses.
That could mean AI supporting personalised learning, helping healthcare professionals, improving agricultural monitoring or assisting small businesses with routine tasks.
At the same time, the government is putting greater emphasis on AI safety and responsible use.
AI Malaysia Berhad, established on July 28, 2026, is the country’s national AI agency, with responsibilities that include AI policy, implementation of the national AI agenda, governance, capability development and the Malaysia AI Safety Institute.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil has said organisations adopting AI should do so responsibly, transparently and ethically, while consumers need confidence that their data is protected.
What does becoming an AI nation mean for Malaysians?
For most people, it does not mean receiving a new government benefit simply because Malaysia has an AI strategy.
It means AI is expected to become increasingly embedded in government services, workplaces, education and businesses.
It is about preparing Malaysians for a country where AI plays a much larger role in how people work, learn and access services.
Date: 11 September, 2026 7:30 am
Source: Malay Mail
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