PETALING JAYA: Malaysia must do more to build its talent pool in artificial intelligence (AI), says Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

“There is a lot of positive sentiment at the moment and Malaysia’s digital economy is expected to contribute 25.5%, if not more, to the country’s GDP (gross domestic product) by the end of 2025.

“All this bodes well for our country, but we cannot be complacent. We need to continue raising the bar in transforming Malaysia into a regional AI hub, and this includes establishing a skilled workforce to satisfy the growing demands of the tech industry,” he said at the opening of Malaysia’s first fully AI-based academy set up by Gamuda Bhd with the support of Google Cloud yesterday.

He praised the collaboration between two giants, one in construction and the other in computing, for helping to fill the gap in Malaysia’s AI talent pool.

Noting the extensive use of technology when Gamuda built the country’s first two MRT lines, now known as the Kajang and Putrajaya lines in Klang Valley, Gobind said he is excited that extensive digitalisation has been making waves in the construction industry – from autonomous tunnel-boring machines to the use of digital twins in creating interactive virtual representations of physical buildings.

“This is, however, only the tip of the iceberg. Modernising the workforce and keeping up with the latest developments is absolutely crucial to avoid falling behind,” he said.

“Equipping our youths with the right skills, especially in this digital era, is also something our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is very concerned about, as he has repeatedly called for more AI-related lessons and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) training in school and other learning institutions,” he said.

On the academy, Gobind expressed hope that more of such partnerships will materialise in the near future.

“Such public-private partnerships are pivotal to strengthening the digital ecosystem in Malaysia,” he said.

In his speech, John Lim Ji Xiong, Gamuda’s group chief digital officer, said the academy’s mission is to equip individuals with hands-on AI development skills inspired by Gamuda’s track record of technical training and digital capabilities.

“Through our long-standing partnership with Google Cloud, both companies have a common vision to grow the local talent pool to fully utilise the upcoming Google Malaysia data centres as announced by the Prime Minister on Oct 1,” he said.

Serene Sia, Google Cloud’s country director for Malaysia and Singapore, said Google Cloud believes in making AI skills and tools more accessible to create a better future for Malaysia.

“We can unlock growth opportunities and solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges. Gamuda has always been a pioneer in embracing technology to build MRT lines, tunnels, bridges, and expressways that benefit many Malaysians quickly while ensuring safety,” she said in her speech.

“This academy represents their continued efforts to make a positive impact in Malaysia, for Malaysians.”

Lim said in an interview that the extensive partnership with Google unlocks the full potential of cloud computing.

“This synergy empowers Gamuda to pioneer innovative solutions across our projects, leveraging our deep industry expertise and Google’s cutting-edge technology. Together, we achieve more than the sum of our parts,” he said.

The Gamuda AI Academy is inviting those aged from 21 to 40 to join its three-month-long boot camp that will equip students with the skills to take advantage of the future when many things are data-driven.

It offers students a full-stack development course, giving them the chance to gain the knowledge necessary to create an AI application from beginning to end.

The first intake in September attracted 42 students, ranging from fresh graduates in IT and engineering to mid-career professionals seeking to upskill, with the aim of eventually training around 1,500 students over the next five years.

As of now, Gamuda has committed an initial seed funding of RM2.5mil to train 350 candidates for the next two years.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/10/12/ai-vital-for-economic-growth