DIGITAL Minister Gobind Singh Deo is committed to ensuring that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tech is safe and secure as reports emerged over security concerns about AI from some pioneering developers.
He said that the government's primary concern is always the safety, ethical and security aspects of the tech, while it also works on the legal framework for its use, which the world is eagerly adopting.
“Our responsibility is not just to help technology grow, but to protect people as it grows,” he said, adding that the government was strengthening efforts in AI safety protocols and risk governance.
Gobind said this after opening the "Scars of War: An International Photography and Art Exhibition," hosted at the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery in Penang.
He also spoke about the completion of Malaysia’s draft AI Governance Bill and said it will be submitted to the cabinet for deliberations.
The Damansara Member of Parliament said the government was now setting up the structure needed to enforce the proposed law.
“We are hoping to table it by this year or in the first quarter of 2027."
The development marks the ministry's progression beyond the drafting and public consultation stages reported earlier.
Gobind said the government must establish the agencies and administrative structure needed to monitor compliance and enforce the law before it takes effect.
The legislation would form part of a broader AI governance, combining technical standards, regulations and laws.
“When we look at the AI governance process, it is broader than a Bill. It involves three things — standards, regulations and laws,” he said.
As Gobind espoused the safety aspects, reports emerging from the US highlighted internal and external warnings from industry insiders regarding the rapid advancement and safety risks of AI.
Experts point to autonomous model behaviours, security breaches, and potential existential threats as urgent challenges requiring enhanced regulation and oversight of the constantly evolving technology.
Gobind also highlighted the growing challenge posed by technology, particularly deepfakes, fabricated videos and cloned voices.
“Technology is capable of creating images which often do not tell the truth. Every day, we see new content generated. In the world of today, we have, for example, deepfakes, fabricated content in the form of videos, and even cloned voices, which are circulated to deceive and to defame."
He warned that false information could be created within minutes and reach millions of people, causing damage to reputations and livelihoods.
“An untruth can be created in minutes, and it reaches millions, and it creates damage, or causes damage, which impacts reputations that have been built over lifetimes,” he said. - September 10, 2026.
