Malaysia to Create National Cloud Policy and AI Regulations

Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that they will create a national cloud policy and regulations for the ethical use of artificial intelligence this Tuesday during a Google event.

According to Reuters, the new measures came after multiple global tech companies invested in local infrastructure for cloud and AI services in the last year.

The Malaysian government will create a national AI Office to complete a 5-year technology action plan, coordinate initiatives, and plan a regulatory framework for sustainable and ethical use of AI within the next 12 months.

The cloud policies, on the other hand, will focus on economic competitiveness and growth, the inclusion and empowerment of citizens, public service efficiency and innovation, and strengthening trust and data security.

“We aim to position Malaysia as a hub for generative artificial intelligence and investments from tech partners will be critical in building a robust and secure digital infrastructure,” said Prime Minister Anwar during the Google ceremony for its first data center investment in the country.

Google announced in May a $2 billion investment for the development of a new data center and cloud region in Malaysia and has made it official in today’s event. This week the tech giant also announced a new multi-year partnership with local tech company DNeX to develop cloud services.

The new Google investments should create 26,500 jobs and contribute over $3 billion to Malaysia’s economy by 2030.

“Our investments are designed to provide high performance and reliability, meeting demand for cloud and AI services across the country,” said Ruth Porat, Google President and Chief Investment Officer.

Microsoft also announced a $2.2 billion investment by 2028 in the Asian country as well as a collaboration with the government on AI and cybersecurity.