KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s AI transformation must be judged by more than corporate productivity and profit, said Political Secretary to the Prime Minister YB Tuan Chan Ming Kai, who stressed that technological progress must benefit every segment of society.
Chan officiated the opening of Driving Malaysia’s AI Transformation 2026 – 2nd Edition, organised by the Malaysian Association of Artificial Intelligence Technology & Innovation (MAAI) on October 28 at Auditorium HIVE 5, MRANTI Park, Bukit Jalil.
Themed “From Pilots to Profit – Where AI Meets Industry”, the conference gathered policymakers, industry leaders and AI experts to explore how AI can move beyond proof-of-concept projects into real deployment and commercialisation.
Chan: AI Transformation Must Not Leave Vulnerable Communities Behind
Chan said AI was driving a new wave of industrial transformation. While businesses can use it to cut costs and sharpen competitiveness, society must also ask who ultimately benefits, particularly if companies need fewer workers after adopting AI.
Citing philosopher John Rawls’ theory of justice, he noted that past industrial revolutions vastly increased productive capacity, yet their gains were not always shared equally. AI transformation should therefore be measured by whether it narrows socioeconomic gaps and widens opportunities for disadvantaged communities, not by productivity alone.
AI should also help people learn and build their capabilities rather than encourage overdependence, he said, adding that applications must prioritise safety, reliability and transparency. He hoped MAAI would act as a bridge and catalyst between sectors.
Datin Alice Low: AI Must Solve Real Industry Problems
MAAI Honorary Permanent Founding President Datin Alice Low said businesses should not remain stuck at the trial stage. AI’s real value, she said, lies not in how much technology a company buys, but in whether it solves practical problems and delivers measurable outcomes.
Low said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need access to the right technology, knowledge and talent to take part meaningfully in digital transformation, while AI adoption must account for data security, privacy and user trust. She hoped the conference would lead to real projects and partnerships, rather than end with an exchange of business cards.
Henry Lim: Start Small and Deliver Measurable Value
MAAI President Henry Lim Chin Poo said this edition focused on helping businesses move from experimenting with AI tools to real-world deployment and commercial results. Using ChatGPT and similar tools, he noted, does not mean an organisation has completed its digital transformation.
“The real question businesses need to ask is not simply what AI can do, but what problems AI can solve for their business.”
Henry Lim Chin Poo, MAAI President
Companies can start with one department, workflow or pain point, then expand based on measurable results, he said. MAAI’s inaugural conference in 2025 welcomed 10 Chinese technology companies to Malaysia; this year placed greater emphasis on local business needs and AI commercialisation.
“We should not measure the success of a conference only by attendance,” Lim said, urging businesses to identify at least one AI application they could start exploring within the next 30 days.
10 AI Spotlights Showcase AI Transformation Across Industries
The conference featured 10 AI spotlight sessions alongside industry dialogues, an executive forum and technology showcases, covering humanoid robotics, smart healthcare, AI governance, talent development, defence technology and more.
An AI experience zone and networking sessions let participants meet technology providers and explore collaborations.
The event was organised by MAAI and co-organised by Boustead Holdings Berhad, with AGIBOT and MRANTI as strategic partners. MAAI said it would keep strengthening ties among government, industry and international partners to advance AI adoption in Malaysia.
Driving Malaysia’s AI Transformation 2026 at a Glance
- Theme: From Pilots to Profit – Where AI Meets Industry
- Date and venue: October 28, 2026, Auditorium HIVE 5, MRANTI Park, Kuala Lumpur
- Officiated by: YB Tuan Chan Ming Kai, Political Secretary to the Prime Minister
- Organisers: MAAI, with Boustead Holdings Berhad as co-organiser
