By Claudian Navin Stanislaus
In a modest workshop, surrounded by rolls of fabric and garments at various stages of completion, sits an ageing tailor, the latest custodian of his family craft. Threatened by the ever-encroaching, flashy new boutiques offering branded, factory-made alternatives, he finds himself at his wits’ end. Even as he perfects every stitch, the threads of time and fortune seem to conspire against him.
Is it the tailor who has yet to notice the fraying fabric he’s working on? Or has the world willingly traded substance for hype?
Will we craft our own legacy, or play dress up in knockoffs?
This isn’t just the story of a lone artisan. It mirrors the crossroads we encounter in an age being reshaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and transformative technologies. Will we settle for generic, off-the-shelf offerings, or, like the artisan, craft bespoke solutions tailored to fit our unique nuances, needs, and aspirations?
Malaysia’s National AI Office (NAIO), a strategic initiative under the Ministry of Digital and guided by MyDigital Corporation, has the potential to become pivotal in the crafting of an AI-driven economy rooted in innovation, ethical governance, and future-ready talent. Potential alone will not suffice!
There’s always a risk of ‘game-changing’ initiatives delivering little more than soundbites!
Without earnest intent and purposeful actions, it risks becoming another promising initiative with grandiose goals and rich soundbites, delivering little more than a completed policy checklist – a recurring trend plaguing ‘game-changing’ endeavours of recent times.
To realise its potential, the NAIO must embrace a bespoke approach that prioritises policies that nurture homegrown expertise, fosters innovation, and spurs the development of AI solutions reflecting local dynamics and realities.
Generic imported frameworks often do more to stifle growth (whether by design, that’s a discussion for another time!); squeezing us into compliance, instead of aligning with our specific needs and priorities. These solutions rarely fit, much like forcing yourself into a borrowed suit!
The NAIO must explore all possibilities to avoid tunnel vision
Instead, the NAIO should be the catalyst for greater collaboration between the public, private sector and academia. It must explore all possibilities; beyond current confines and identify what would be the most relevant, impactful and sustainable for Malaysia and our society. This approach avoids tunnel vision, and lays the foundation for a stronger more inclusive and equitable economy.
The advertising industry offers a fertile ground for such bespoke AI application. Generic AdTech and MarTech tools, developed for homogeneous markets, fail to grasp the profound influence our unique cultural and behavioural intricacies — our ‘Asianness’ — have on our lives. This is not just an oversight; it’s a critical gap we can no longer afford to ignore!
‘Dynamic Cultural AI’ would enable campaigns that adapt in real time, to resonate at an individual level – all while respecting privacy.
Such gaps present opportunities for the development of a ‘Dynamic Cultural AI’, that would not only revitalise the sector, but it could redefine it. No longer bound by broad assumptions or outdated herding methodologies, it would enable campaigns that adapt in real time, responding with precision and purpose, tailored not to lure and persuade, but to understand and anticipate – all while respecting privacy.
This would transform how brands connect with diverse audiences, setting a new standard of personalisation. Imagine every message, visual, and interaction adapting to resonate at an individual level. Isn’t this the ‘holy grail’ of hyper-personalisation?
The advertising sector has already embraced AI at a phenomenal pace (certainly faster than some realised that it could be simplifying them out of a job!). By year’s end, expect to see AI perhaps taking a more definitive role before the deployment of strategies, testing hundreds of creative variations in an instant.
The era of static campaigns is long behind us, but now, we face the possibility of a future where more adaptive intelligence can evolve campaigns with each interaction. Unlocking this potential, however, will require predictive AI solutions that are not just powerful, but also deeply nuanced and highly precise.
Dynamic Cultural AI would deliver insights tailored to ensuring decisions are attuned to societal sensitivities
Advertising is merely one such application to consider. The transformative potential of a Dynamic Cultural AI — an innovation that seamlessly integrates cultural data, real-time behavioural insights, and ethical frameworks to craft hyper-localised, adaptive solutions — extends well beyond this domain, and presents exciting propositions.
In healthcare, it could enable real-time diagnostics and predictive care models that bridge gaps in accessibility and outcomes by integrating culturally sensitive and localised insights. In education, Dynamic Cultural AI could accelerate personalised learning, empowering students across Malaysia’s diverse communities by addressing disparities in opportunity through culturally relevant and adaptive content.
Even governance could reap the benefits, with AI-driven insights tailored to local contexts enhancing public service delivery and policymaking, ensuring decisions are attuned to societal sensitivities (and priorities!) of the time.
By developing AI solutions designed for local needs and nuances, and integrating them through the Internet of Things (IoT), Malaysia could ultimately create a culturally intelligent, predictive ecosystem that will strengthen our competitiveness as a national.
If Sovereign AI doesn’t reflect our cultural fabric, can it truly serve us?
With ‘Sovereign AI’ a vision on the horizon, a Dynamic Cultural AI would be critical for its framework, as it aligns with the country’s multicultural identity, economic ambitions, and societal needs. Discounting it would risk creating a Sovereign AI system that is technically functional but socially, culturally, and economically limited in its impact.
Crafting Malaysia’s AI identity will not be without challenges. While we’ve often been “first off the blocks” in embracing technology, the gap between aspirations and tangible outcomes remains. We continue to demonstrate an ability to attract foreign investment, but risk being perceived as facilitators for others, rather than a thriving incubator for domestic endeavours.
To bridge this disparity, we need strategies that encourage homegrown innovation. Some of our neighbours, though late to the game – are already leaping ahead in this aspect!
Talent shortages and brain drain remain critical hurdles. Reliance on outsourced talent; though useful in the short term, risks perpetuating dependency.
Malaysia must focus on cultivating culturally attuned, industry-ready talent through aligned university programmes, strategic public-private partnerships that nurture a fertile, inclusive, and sustainable ecosystem, and regulatory sandboxes that balance safeguarding domestic job opportunities, facilitate the transfer of technological expertise, and supports the growth of high-potential deserving ventures.
Such efforts will synergise innovation with national aspirations, while future-proofing Malaysia as a hub for technology, innovation, and AI, not merely an early adopter. These challenges are far from insurmountable.
Amidst the rise of ASEAN as a hotbed for AI exploration, where do we find our niche?
ASEAN is rapidly emerging as a hotbed for AI exploration, and Malaysia’s unique dynamics offer a distinct advantage. Unlike more homogeneous markets, our vibrant melting pot of cultures creates an ideal testing ground for empathetic, nuanced, and adaptive innovations.
Solutions that are scalable to meet the rising demands across the region and beyond. It is our opportunity to lead, not follow. Is it really so unimaginable that our diversity could be where we find our niche?
These are not just theoretical possibilities, but realistic possibilities on a trajectory towards a predictive ecosystem, benefiting every sector where such discernment to subtleties can be game-changing. Such purpose will serve us better than simply putting out our own brand on a factory produced solutions.
To succeed the NAIO will continue to need the purposeful hands of the tailor, over the loose-lips of a boutique sales promoter!
Like a bespoke suit, the perfect fit requires precise measurement of the nations needs. For the NAIO to ensure every initiative is rooted in purpose and every action serves this intent, it will require a diligent and purposeful tailor — someone dedicated to the craft — rather than a boutique sales promoter!
Crafting Malaysia’s AI identity demands more than appearances or soundbites. It’s not about ticking boxes or being first either. Our prospects lie in solutions that empower our communities, drive sustainable impact to the majority, and leave a legacy of innovation that harnesses our distinct dynamics. The cloth is cut, but ultimately, how it is tailored will determine if the suit fits perfectly…. or not!
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