ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) holds the potential to bridge development divides across Southeast Asia by empowering small businesses and strengthening rural communities, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the opening of the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit (AAIMS) 2025 on Tuesday.
He said AI would not only enhance public services but also expand access to healthcare, education and justice throughout the ASEAN region.
“We must be bold and principled. Our vision is not merely to adopt AI for fear of being left behind, but to lead in select domains, to uphold our values, and to give real meaning to the principles of equity and justice,” Anwar said in his keynote address.
“We will ensure that the true success of AI is not measured solely by its technical sophistication.”
Present at the summit were Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Communications Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Transport Anthony Loke, Deputy Minister of Digital Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, and ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.
Anwar expressed confidence in Malaysia’s digital transformation, stating that the country is forging ahead as a regional leader in AI and digital technologies.
He reaffirmed Malaysia’s readiness to collaborate and share its capabilities with neighbouring countries within the ASEAN framework.
“Through the 13th Malaysia Plan, we have charted a bold five-year roadmap. Let me reiterate—at the core of this plan lies a firm conviction that digital transformation must be the driver of sustainable and inclusive growth,” he said.
The AAIMS 2025 summit aims to position ASEAN as a proactive force in shaping ethical and inclusive AI development, with Malaysia playing a central role in convening cross-border cooperation in this field.
Earlier, Gobind highlighted the opportunity to learn from one another within the member states as a strength that can propel the nations forward as a region.
“While different countries possess varying requirements, circumstances, and standards with regard to their AI journeys, we must also identify potential common ground and develop interoperable standards, he said at the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit’s Ministerial Panel, titled “From Policy to Practice: Collaborating for a Secure and Governed AI Ecosystem in ASEAN,” today.
He added he was joined by fellow counterparts: H.E. Chea Vandeth, Minister of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia; and Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications of Brunei Darussalam.
Gobing sumised that it was an insightful discussion on how Malaysian and the region can harness AI, through a collaborative spirit, to strengthen ASEAN’s AI ecosystem. - August 12, 2025
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