Datuk Ahirudin Attan (Rocky Bru)
NPC president and Big Boom Media group executive director.
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia should pave the way for private industries to spearhead artificial intelligence (AI) development initiatives beneficial for the nation, said Datuk Ahirudin Attan, the group executive director of Big Boom Media which owns Scoop.
The veteran journalist, popularly known as Rocky Bru, pointed to newly-inaugurated United States president Donald Trump’s announcement on building AI infrastructure worth US$500 billion through a joint venture dubbed Stargate – established by private enterprises.
“Trump has said that the US government is not (spending) a single cent (for the Stargate project) as it is being financed by private companies. We in Malaysia should be doing the same,” Ahirudin said during a session on Bernama TV today.
“We should allow the private sector to lead the AI charge (as) we have the expertise and capable companies. We don’t need the government to (be involved in) everything (and) the government should not be apologetic with greater involvement from the private sector”.
Ahirudin, who is the president of the National Press Club, noted that the national applied research and development agency, Mimos Bhd, could partake in such efforts to push for AI development in Malaysia.
Earlier this week, Trump announced the Stargate project, which would see the involvement of Texas-based tech firm Oracle, Japan’s SoftBank and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI to advance AI infrastructure in the US.
The three companies will initially commit US$100 billion before the figure rises to US$500 billion over the next four years, with the funding reportedly set to be used to build data centres and other infrastructures needed to support AI and help ensure the future of the technology.
Trump said the venture is expected to be the largest AI infrastructure project in history “by far”, adding that it represents a “resounding declaration of confidence in America’s potential” under his new administration.
Meanwhile, Ahirudin also said that Malaysia should prioritise continuity and consistency in its commitments to environmental sustainability, instead of being influenced by the US’ fluctuating stance on the Paris climate agreement.
“What we need to do is not be led by the yo-yo stance of the US. (In terms of) continuity and consistency, this is where the US has failed (and) this is what we need to avoid,” Ahirudin said.
Urging for emphasised focus on previously announced environmental initiatives within the Asean region, he advocated for Malaysia’s continued commitment to the Paris Agreement, in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent assurance on the matter.
Speaking at an exclusive dialogue in Davos, Switzerland on January 22, Anwar highlighted Malaysia’s willingness to take bold and tough measures in the interest of humanity and preserving sustainability.
This came after Trump withdrew the US from the “unfair, one-sided” international climate accord, which was first negotiated in 2015 and details an agreement by countries around the world to cut greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming and minimise climate change impacts.
During his first term in office, Trump had similarly withdrawn the US from the agreement. However, his successor Joe Biden, officially U-turned on the decision in 2021. – scoop.my
