KUALA LUMPUR: The National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO), set to be launched in November, will focus on various AI development initiatives to support industries as well as efforts to empower women in technology.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo highlighted the importance of this initiative, saying that women play a significant role in various sectors and should be given ample opportunities to strengthen their presence in the technology field.
“One of the office’s initiatives will outline specific efforts that can benefit all sectors, including women. I hope that once NAIO is established, we can discuss the policies to be developed to address the challenges faced by women.
“This morning’s event, a collaboration between Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Women In Tech (WIT) Malaysia, provided deeper insights into the challenges faced by women and how the government can create effective policies to help overcome these issues,” he told a press conference after delivering the keynote address at the WIT APAC Summit and Awards programme held at Sasana Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia, here today.
Earlier, Gobind had witnessed the exchange of a Memorandum of Collaboration between MDEC CEO Anuar Fariz Fadzil and WIT Malaysia Country Director Yuki Aizawa.
During his keynote address, Gobind emphasised WIT’s global impact, particularly in increasing female enrollment in tech education, highlighted by a successful campaign in collaboration with 42 local schools.
“Similarly your record-breaking ‘Girls-for-Girls’ mentoring programme will empower over 1,000 young women this year alone. I have been informed that WIT Malaysia is establishing new chapters in Penang, Sabah and Sarawak. This is a great way to get more women involved and excited about technology.
“WIT Malaysia is more than welcome to collaborate with the Ministry of Digital especially on programmess that target our youth,” he said.
Additionally, Gobind said that MDEC aims for a five per cent annual increase in female participation in its ‘Digital Ninja’ initiative next year, with a national-level goal of having 50 per cent of female students to achieve the ‘Digital Intermediate’ rank in the national Digital Competency Score.
The third edition of the WIT APAC Summit and Awards, taking place over two days starting yesterday, features diverse activities, including workshops, peer discussions, problem-solving panels and an Oxford-style debate, allowing participants to collaborate, share insights, define projects and establish a roadmap for accountability.
On another note, the minister announced that the AI Untuk Rakyat online programme has engaged over 1.3 million Malaysians in just nine months.
Gobind revealed that 52 per cent of the registrants were women, showcasing significant engagement from female participants.
“This is encouraging and reflects a growing interest in technology,” he said.
Launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Jan 16 this year, the ‘AI untuk Rakyat’ initiative embodies the government’s commitment to empowering Malaysians with essential knowledge about AI.
The programme is designed to ignite curiosity among youths, inspiring them to consider AI a viable and exciting field of study.
On June 5, Gobind highlighted that the AI Untuk Rakyat programme had already engaged over one million Malaysians, achieving this milestone in record time and exceeding the initial goal of million participants within a year.
