THE Government’s temporary suspension of the artificial intelligence (AI) function Grok in the X social media platform will remain until the platform demonstrates it can completely prevent the creation of harmful content, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed on Thursday.
Speaking at the launch of the Center for Responsible Technology (CERT) in Kuala Lumpur today, Fahmi said that while X has taken steps such as disabling certain prompts, these measures are insufficient as there remain avenues for misuse, particularly in generating images and videos that could be exploited for unlawful purposes.
“The government has adopted a consultative and legally grounded approach to address this issue, but user safety remains the priority before any restrictions can be lifted,” he said.
“After engaging and holding discussions with the platforms involved, I believe this approach is more positive.
“Rather than imposing outright bans, we aim to ensure that the platform is not misused, especially by criminals. Although some amendments have been made and certain prompts are now disabled, alternative methods still exist.
“We want to ensure comprehensively that X can prove there is no remaining risk of video or image content being generated for misuse,” Fahmi added.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said the launch of CERT forms part of a broader government strategy to examine the systemic impacts of emerging technologies, particularly AI, while safeguarding innovation.
The centre will study how AI and other new technologies affect society and use the findings to inform national technology policy.
“The results of these studies will be presented to the Cabinet to form the basis of national technology policies.
“I believe the process will be comprehensive because I have requested engagement with all levels of society, including relevant research organisations not only domestically but across Southeast Asia, so that we gain a more holistic understanding of technological developments, including artificial intelligence and its societal and national impacts,” he said.
CERT is intended to act as a research and policy advisory hub, allowing Malaysia to balance technological innovation with responsible oversight, particularly in safeguarding users from potential misuse of AI-generated content. - January 15, 2026
