KUALA LUMPUR: Businesses need to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for innovation and growth, despite ongoing concerns about the technology’s potential risks, experts said.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Putra Business School Professor Dr Ida Md Yasin said AI can bring more benefit than harm if understood and managed properly.
She said humans cannot stop many of the changes happening around them, including AI.
“Since it’s already part of our world through digitalisation, we need to embrace it, even if it scares us,” she told SunBiz.
Ida acknowledged that people fear AI will take jobs, enable creation of fake content, as well as lead to fraud.
“But we can overcome these fears through knowledge and learning,” she said, adding that “if we learn more about AI, we understand its dos and don’ts – what we should and shouldn’t do”.
This understanding, Ida said, makes us more comfortable with AI. “That’s what I mean by embracing AI. We can’t ignore it,” she explained.
Ida drew a parallel to the initial fear surrounding globalisation. “People initially feared that globalisation would take away jobs and harm us,” she said. “But ultimately, by embracing it, we learned what to do and not do, and we benefited.”
AI is no different, Ida said. “Although we’re afraid, if we learn what AI is about, its limitations, and its advantages, we can see that it can bring more benefit than harm.”
With any decision, there are always positive and negative implications, she stated. “There’s rarely a straightforward answer. We need to weigh the outcomes – if the positives outweigh the negatives, pursue it; if not, reconsider.”
Ida likened AI to a knife in the household. “A knife can be used for good or bad. You need it to prepare food, but it can also cause harm. It’s how we handle it that matters.”
Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka senior lecturer Siti Nurul Mahfuzah Mohamad noted that AI has been around for a long time, although awareness among businesses about the technology is just catching up.
“We already use AI in many areas. Vehicles like Tesla, robotics in factories, manufacturing, and education. For business, healthcare, and other industries, AI is prevalent,” she said.
In business, for example, companies use AI for trend prediction and strategic planning. “They can use technology for predictions or social media, video editing, and marketing,” she added.
Mahfuzah said AI supports rather than replaces human jobs. “Humans bring unique expertise and intelligence,” she explained, referring to subject matter expertise. “Each person has their own strengths, whether visual, linguistic, or interpersonal. Students, for instance, might use generative AI tools to support different skill areas, like math or presentation.”
AI, she said, is just a tool that assists based on the user’s needs. “Each user’s behaviour and interests shape their use of AI. Generative AI learns user preferences based on search history and interactions.”
For journalists, educators and leaders, Mahfuzah noted, they all have specific platforms tailored to their fields that can support their work.
“Everyone needs to be aware of technology advancements. We can’t reject technology; instead, we should use it ethically and responsibly. Content should be verified and, when needed, approved by management. Let’s focus on positive uses rather than fearing the negatives.”
