Malaysia has launched a major initiative to strengthen its artificial intelligence (AI) workforce development efforts through the formation of the MyMahir National AI Council for Industry.
Spearheaded by Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd, and the National AI Office, the Council provides a national platform to coordinate AI talent development, pilot adoption strategies, and drive multi-sector implementation.
The Council’s inaugural meeting, held today, marked the start of a structured, cross-agency partnership to advance Malaysia’s AI readiness. The event also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between TalentCorp and MyDIGITAL. It was witnessed by Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong and Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
“The question is not whether AI will replace jobs, but whether we will empower Malaysians to evolve with it,” said Sim.
“Through MyMahir–NAICI, we are forging a whole-of-nation mechanism, aligning skills with strategy, technology with talent, and policy with purpose. This Council is a commitment to ensure Malaysians are not just job-ready, but AI-ready.”
Reaffirming a shared commitment, Gobind added, “This is where government leadership becomes essential – building the enabling structures that connect innovation to real-world AI implementation.”
“While NAIO focuses on creating the demand and representing deployment, TalentCorp focuses on building the talent supply and MyMahir–NAICI completing the virtuous cycle by continuously feeding back for policy improvement.”
The Council formalises a three-year collaboration focused on four strategic pillars: AI Talent Development, Industry Integration, Policy and Funding Alignment, and Stakeholder Governance. TalentCorp will serve as secretariat, with NAIO guiding alignment with the national AI roadmap.
Supporting this initiative are four key instruments:
- The MyMahir Impact Study, which identifies affected roles, emerging jobs, and future skills;
- The MyMahir.my platform, which enables policy-to-action implementation;
- The G.I.A.T. Action Plan, targeting coordination across Government, Industry, Academia, and Training Providers; and
- The AI Talent Framework, covering the full skills pipeline from digital literacy to advanced AI expertise.
According to the Impact Study, approximately 620,000 jobs, or 18 per cent of formal sector roles in Malaysia, are expected to be significantly affected by AI over the next three to five years. At the same time, 60 emerging roles have been identified across AI, digital, green, and deep tech sectors.
These findings will guide all Council-led activities, including the design of sector-based pilot programmes.
A major feature of this collaboration is the integration of the AI Readiness Index into the MyMahir.my platform, which allows companies to assess their AI preparedness, identify capability gaps, and take actionable steps toward transformation. Pilot use cases will also be validated through AI sandbox programmes, using real-world problem statements sourced directly from the industry.
The Council’s implementation and outcomes will be monitored through the newly established AI Implementation Monitoring Unit.
This unit will include key agencies and will track milestones, oversee delivery, and report on progress to the ministers. It will also support the continuous improvement of sectoral work plans based on real-time feedback from Council members.
