THE government will provide free subscriptions to leading artificial intelligence (AI) software for 100,000 youths aged between 18 and 30 under the newly launched AI For The People initiative, marking a major step in its strategy to accelerate AI adoption and cultivate a digitally skilled workforce.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the programme will commence on Aug 31, with eligible participants receiving three months of complimentary access to AI applications after completing specialised training modules under the national initiative.
“The use of AI for the people must be enhanced as a priority. Then the approach is that AI For The People must involve offering free access and subscriptions to AI software to youths who complete the specialised modules under the AI For The People programme.
“We will prepare specialised modules and provide AI software free of charge on the condition that they complete the designated modules,” he said during the launch of AI Malaysia in Cyberjaya.
The specialised modules are expected to be completed by the Digital Ministry within two weeks, with complimentary AI software subscriptions to be granted only to participants who successfully complete the prescribed training.
Anwar described the initiative as an important milestone in Malaysia's ambition to become a nation capable of developing, mastering and fully harnessing AI technologies across all sectors of the economy.
He said the government was equally committed to strengthening Malaysia's AI talent ecosystem by fostering closer collaboration between higher education institutions and leading global technology companies to ensure graduates possess industry-relevant skills.
Although Malaysia already has dedicated AI faculties, academic departments and research centres, he acknowledged that existing capabilities must be further enhanced to meet international industry standards.
“We have AI faculties, we have AI departments, we have AI research centres. Is that enough? Not yet. We must assess the strengths and skills that we have.
“I believe the engineers trained at our universities are regarded as good because their rankings are good, but when assessed by major companies such as NVIDIA, Google, Microsoft, Huawei and Ericsson, our fields of study and skills need to be further strengthened through synergy between academia and industry,” he said.
Anwar also called for a comprehensive transformation of the national education system, saying AI education should begin from an early age through improved teacher training and curriculum reforms that equip students with the knowledge and skills required for the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
The AI For The People initiative will be delivered through the Rakyat Digital platform and is expected to serve as one of the government's flagship programmes to broaden AI literacy, encourage widespread adoption of emerging technologies and reinforce Malaysia's position as a regional digital innovation hub. - July 28, 2026
