Read this in Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin

(Photo above) From left: Laurence Si, Managing Director of Microsoft Malaysia; Andrea Della Mattea, President of Microsoft ASEAN; YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital Malaysia; Fabian Bigar, Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital; Izwan Ismail, Vice President of Group Technology and Commercialisation at PETRONAS at the Microsoft Cloud and AI Summit Malaysia celebrating the launch of the AI for Malaysia’s Future (AIForMYFuture) initiative.

Kuala Lumpur, 10 December 2024 – Microsoft today announced the launch of “AI for Malaysia’s Future,” (AIForMYFuture) a new initiative aimed at equipping 800,000 Malaysians with skills in AI by the end of 2025. The announcement was made at Microsoft Cloud and AI Summit Malaysia.

AIForMYFuture supports broader efforts by the Government of Malaysia to upskill and reskill the Malaysian workforce and ensuring a robust talent pipeline for AI-related jobs. This includes working closely with Malaysia’s soon-to-be-launched National AI Office (NAIO), led by the Ministry of Digital, in advancing the AI agenda through cross-sector collaborations.

“When public and private sectors collaborate in AI transformation, then AI can truly scale in Malaysia – from the agriculture sector in the north to the semiconductor industry in Penang as well as businesses in urban centers and entrepreneurs across the nation – resulting in smart economic hubs and a conducive AI ecosystem: One which fosters local innovation, create opportunities and enable employability, and ultimately, delivering benefits for businesses and the Rakyat,” stated YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital Malaysia, during his remarks.

“Microsoft’s 2024 Work Trend Index found that 84% of Malaysian knowledge workers are already using AI at work – signaling a strong opportunity to channel this enthusiasm into widespread impact,” said Laurence Si, Managing Director of Microsoft Malaysia. “The launch of AIForMYFuture reinforces our commitment to equipping Malaysians with the skills they need to be part of Malaysia’s AI economy and contribute to the country’s AI-powered growth journey.”

Through AIForMYFuture, Microsoft will collaborate with a broad cross-section of stakeholders including government, industry, education, and civil society to drive AI skilling opportunities at all levels of society. It will offer tailored learning experiences for diverse groups of people – from government officials and civil servants, professionals in key industries, teachers, students, underserved and marginalized communities, to general job seekers and employees looking to upskill.

To achieve its ambitious target of skilling 800,000 Malaysians by 2025, AIForMYFuture will be executed through:

1. Multi-stakeholder collaboration to drive AI fluency: Microsoft will collaborate broadly, including with ministries, government agencies, and social enterprises to advance AI skilling across all segments of society, to build digital and AI fluency nationwide, focusing on an AI-ready workforce.
2. Supporting industry AI-readiness and adoption: The initiative also provides skilling opportunities across industries, reaching the public sector and private enterprises ranging from large corporations to startups and SMEs.
3. Building future-ready talent through education: The initiative will include opportunities for students at schools and tertiary institutions, including TVET institutions, preparing learners for an AI-powered economy and creating a pipeline of AI expertise and next-generation developers.
4. Developing an inclusive AI Economy: AIForMYFuture will also provide AI and digital skilling opportunities to targeted segments of the community including underserved communities and women entrepreneurs, making AI education accessible on a larger scale.
5. Empowering our future workforce – Microsoft’s recently launched AI Skills Navigator offers a guided pathway to learning content for every Malaysian, with personalised journeys for all types of learners to equip themselves with foundational and advanced AI skills.

The initiative reflects the company’s commitment to democratize AI and empower more Malaysians with the skills needed to thrive in Malaysia’s AI economy. This is aligned with the nation’s aspirations for boosting inclusive economic growth by driving AI integration across various sectors, as laid out by the National AI Roadmap 2021-2025.

As part of the initiative, Microsoft will work with multiple partners, including Biji-biji Initiative, HRD Corp, International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (IWFCIM), Jobstreet by SEEK, MyDIGITAL Corporation, the National TVET Council (MTVET) Secretariat, and Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp).

The AIForMYFuture commitment builds on Microsoft’s recent skilling initiatives in Malaysia, including the success of providing digital skills to more than 1.53 million Malaysians by 2023, as part of the Bersama Malaysia initiative.

Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced the AI TEACH Malaysia program with Biji-Biji Initiative to equip TVET educators and students with AI skills. To ensure inclusive skilling, Microsoft is also partnering with IWFCIM for the Ready4AI&Security program, supporting women in building careers in AI and cybersecurity. As of October 2024, more than 73,000 people have benefited from these programs.

Malaysians can get started on their personalized AI learning pathways for free today by visiting Microsoft’s AI Skills Navigator at: aka.ms/AISkillsNavigator

Find out how Hidayah Ibrahim, a former kindergarten teacher, now earns nearly twice as much as the sole administrative staff member at a construction storage facility since completing the Microsoft Skills for Jobs program: