Malaysia urged to prioritise human-AI collaboration

KUALA LUMPUR: Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping job scopes, prompting the exploration of income support mechanisms to sustain economic participation, enable reskilling and lifelong learning, and maintain stable consumer demand.
For Malaysia, with the country’s youthful demographics and strong digital adoption, the situation presents a strategic opportunity.
Axiata Group Bhd chairman Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said Malaysia’s priority must be upskilling, adaptability, and human–AI collaboration.
“Universal income, in this context, is not about limiting ambition; it is about enabling mobility, resilience, and broad participation in a rapidly evolving economy,” he told delegates at the CGS International 18th Annual Malaysia Corporate Day 2026 yesterday.
Shahril pointed out that every major leap in economic development has been driven by breakthroughs that dramatically lowered costs and widened access in energy-powered industrialisation, telecommunications-connected markets, and computing-digitised industries.
“Today, artificial intelligence is emerging as the next great multiplier. AI transforms intelligence into an on-demand economic resource: one that accelerates decision-making, improves productivity, and amplifies innovation.
“This shift unlocks three critical advantages, namely, scalable productivity where output can grow without a linear increase in manpower; step-change efficiency where tasks once requiring days or weeks can now be accomplished within minutes.
“Further, the speed and adaptability, where the ability to learn, iterate, and deploy insights faster than competitors becomes the new strategic differentiator.
“And importantly, this is not about replacing people. It is about augmenting human capability, enhancing our judgement, creativity and care,” said Shahril, who is also an independent non-executive director for CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
Moving on, Shahril said, capital markets are already signalling the direction of travel, with investors increasingly valuing organisations based on their ability to leverage data, their adoption of AI-driven processes, and their capacity for long-term innovation.
“Since 2025, we have seen capital gravitating toward companies that demonstrate scalable intelligence, operational agility, and robust digital infrastructure.
“This is a positive sign. Markets reward future-ready capabilities. For Malaysia, it reinforces our national aspiration to move up the value chain, attract high-quality investments, and strengthen regional competitiveness.”
Touching on key sectors in Malaysia impacted by AI from 2025, Shahril said, that for the financial services sector, AI is enhancing risk assessment, compliance, and customer experience.
“Institutions are deploying AI to reduce friction, elevate governance standards, and deliver personalised services, fortifying resilience and competitiveness,” he added.
For the telecommunications sector, Shahril noted that the domestic telcos are moving well beyond traditional connectivity to become digital infrastructure enablers.
He said AI is accelerating demand for low-latency networks, edge computing, and data-driven enterprise solutions, supporting the rise of smart cities, automation, and next-generation digital services.
“When paired with advanced connectivity such as 5G, AI will materially reshape enterprise productivity, innovation, and customer experience.
“We are already seeing this play out at scale in markets like China, offering valuable lessons for the region,” he said.
CGS International Securities Malaysia CEO Khairi Shahrin Arief Baki said that for investors and corporates alike, the central challenge today is not access to innovation but discernment.
This includes determining which technologies will scale sustainably, which companies are prepared for intelligence-driven competition across data, automation, cybersecurity, energy transition, and digital infrastructure, which business models will translate into real earnings, and what universal income could mean for future consumption and growth.
“These questions are no longer abstract considerations. They are now directly shaping capital allocation decisions, valuation multiples, and long-term returns across markets, underscoring the strategic importance of clarity and execution in an AI- and data-driven economic landscape,” he said.
He said Malaysia stands at a critical crossroads, with a strong manufacturing base, a growing digital economy, deeper capital markets, and policies that are driving high-value sectors such as semiconductors, renewable energy, data centres, and financial digitisation.
“But the real frontier is not just building infrastructure – it’s deploying capital intelligently.
“For corporates, this means moving beyond incremental efficiency gains to strategic reinvention – using data, automation, and AI to enhance productivity, resilience, and governance.
“For investors, it means reassessing traditional benchmarks and risk framework – recognising that intangible assets, intellectual capital, and execution capability now matter as much as balance sheets,” he said.
Over 200 delegates, investors, and guests attended the CGS International corporate day.
Various panel discussions were also held, with topics such as The Future of Malaysians – Social Implications & Safety Nets, The Ringgit Boost – Implications for 2026, The Role of Carbon Tax in Malaysia and Fireside Chat: Balancing Growth, Fiscal, and the Global, among others.