SHAH ALAM - Malaysia is seen as ready to face the wave of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which is expected to impact nearly 40 per cent of jobs worldwide.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Centre for Artificial Intelligence Technology senior lecturer Dr Afzan Adam said the country was on the right track to face this wave, predicted to occur in about two years.
"Malaysia is on the right track considering several steps taken by the government now.
"This includes introducing school and higher education syllabuses that emphasise critical thinking skills and problem-solving.
"In addition, the Human Resources Ministry (MOHR) through the Skills Development Department is actively developing and updating job frameworks in various fields, including the National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) and other related standards," she said when contacted by Sinar Harian on Sunday.
Last week, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva was reported to have said that AI is expected to impact nearly 40 per cent of jobs worldwide and she wanted a careful policy balance to harness the potential of technology appropriately.
Meanwhile, Afzan said the government's plan to establish the country's first Artificial Intelligence Faculty through Budget 2024 also helped the country to face the AI wave.
"This effort can also elevate the country's name in the field of AI worldwide. We already have CAIT UKM and national AI consortium which is a combination of IPTs in Malaysia.
"Therefore, the existence of this faculty can further enhance the AI environment," she said.
Afzan added that she expects the figure of 40 per cent of jobs affected by technology in about two years based on public acceptance and the rapid pace of technology happening now.
"The shift towards AI technology in jobs has already occurred gradually as more positions are assisted by AI technology. This technology has permeated almost every aspect of life.
"In this country, the actual use of AI technology is estimated to be around five to 10 per cent but do not misunderstand the current use of automation technology as AI technology," she said.
Asked about the percentage of jobs that would be affected in this country following the wave, Afzan stressed that the use of AI should not replace workers or human labour as it was only an aid.
However, she said, there would be changes in the skill level and autonomy of human workers, thus potentially raising wages due to skill enhancements that indirectly improve people's living standards.
Therefore, as additional preparation to face the wave, Afzan said, the efforts made by the government need to be strengthened and not changed.
"Continuous awareness also needs to be given to the millennial and Gen Z generations to be ready to continue learning and adapting to the changes in their respective job reference terms (TOR)," she said.
On Jan 16, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported to have said that the government aims for one million citizens to participate in the AI Literacy for the People programme for four hours by the end of this year.
As a start, the programme would be implemented immediately in schools, universities and the civil service.
Anwar clarified that the basic AI programme was open to Malaysians as part of the digital transformation effort being actively pursued by the government.