PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has launched a comprehensive push to solidify its position as a regional hub for artificial intelligence (AI), initiating high-level talks with OpenAI and opening a public consultation on the country’s first-ever dedicated AI legislation.
The dual track of international collaboration and statutory regulation underscores the government’s efforts to accelerate its digital transformation under the Malaysia Digital 2030 (MD2030) and AI Nation 2030 blueprints.
On July 14, Digital Ministry secretary-general hosted senior executives from OpenAI at the administrative capital to chart a strategic direction for the nation’s burgeoning AI ecosystem. The delegation from the ChatGPT creator was led by Adam Cohen, head of economic policy, and Sandy Kunvanatagarn, head of global affairs for the Asia-Pacific region.
The discussions focused on alignment with Malaysia’s national digital agendas and analysed preliminary findings from the state-commissioned AI Capability Gap Study. Key areas of proposed collaboration include:
- Developing national AI capabilities and strengthening leadership through the existing Executive Digital Leadership (EDL) programme, run in partnership with the Asia School of Business and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- OpenAI expressed readiness to share specialised training modules via the OpenAI Academy to build internal capacity among Malaysian civil servants.
- The tech firm proposed that Malaysia explore the OpenAI Edu for Countries initiative, designed to integrate safe and responsible AI tools into the early stages of the national education system.
Simultaneously, the National AI Office (NAIO) has opened a public consultation on a proposed AI Governance Bill, marking the country’s first dedicated legal framework for the technology.
The draft legislation aims to establish a framework that guarantees the safe, responsible, and trustworthy development and deployment of AI across all sectors, whilst deliberately protecting innovation and economic growth.
The NAIO has invited government agencies, industry players, businesses, academia, civil society, and the general public to submit feedback before the consultation period closes on July 31.
The government stated that the feedback will be critical in ensuring the final bill is practical, future-ready, and reflective of Malaysia’s diverse digital ecosystem.
Driving public sector AI literacy
The Digital Ministry has explicitly framed AI adoption not as an optional luxury, but as a mandatory capability for public officials.
As part of this cultural shift, the government is convening the seventh instalment of its Digital Talk series on July 23. Titled “AI-Powered Civil Servants: Leveraging Google Workspace for Strategic Impact,” the session will be led by James Imran Miller, the AI Nation 2030 manager at MyDigital Corporation.
The initiative is designed to upskill public sector workers, driving greater productivity and fostering a more agile, digitally literate bureaucracy capable of executing Malaysia’s broader AI ambitions.
