TLDR: Malaysia is poised to table its National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan 2026-2030 in December, a strategic move to establish itself as an AI-driven nation by 2030. The plan, developed by the National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO), will prioritize governance, societal impact, and industrial integration, building upon the existing Artificial Intelligence Governance and Ethics (AIGE) framework. Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo emphasized the plan’s role in realizing the Prime Minister’s vision and highlighted Malaysia’s progress towards becoming ASEAN’s data center hub.
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is set to unveil its ambitious National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan 2026-2030 in December this year, a pivotal step towards transforming the nation into an AI-driven economy by the end of the decade. The plan, currently under development by the National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO), is designed to address critical sectors and key areas, including governance, society, and industry.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo underscored the significance of this initiative, stating that the plan is an ‘essential component of Malaysia’s efforts to position itself as an AI-driven nation by 2030.’ He made these remarks following his keynote speech at the United Kingdom-ASEAN AI Innovation Summit 2025.
The minister elaborated on the core focus areas, noting that ‘key areas we will focus on include governance, which will build on the Artificial Intelligence Governance and Ethics (AIGE) framework we launched last year.’ The overarching goal, he added, is to ‘ensure that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s vision of creating an AI-powered nation by 2030 is realised.’
Beyond governance, the National AI Action Plan will also tackle challenges across the government, societal, and industrial sectors. Minister Gobind Singh Deo further highlighted Malaysia’s robust progress in digital infrastructure, projecting the country to become ASEAN’s data center hub, hosting two-thirds of the region’s capacity by 2035. This growth is supported by a world-class 5G network.
Emphasizing the importance of a strong policy framework, he stated that ‘strong infrastructure must be coupled with trustworthy policies.’ In line with this, Malaysia has already introduced a National Cloud Computing Policy this year, aimed at ensuring a secure, sovereign, and sustainable cloud future. The nation is also actively drafting a digital trust and data security strategy to further enhance its resilience in the digital landscape.
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In a move to bolster data governance, the minister revealed plans for establishing a National Data Commission. This commission will be tasked with overseeing data governance, facilitating trusted data flows, and safeguarding data rights within Malaysia. Additionally, the government is expanding the digitalization of public sector data through a new policy and establishing a National Data Bank, which will serve as a trusted repository for high-quality datasets from various ministries and sectors.
