TLDR: Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has underscored the critical importance of ethics and accountability in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) communication. Malaysia is set to introduce comprehensive guidelines for responsible AI communication, complementing its National AI Roadmap. The Ministry is also actively developing new legal frameworks, including an AI framework for the media sector, to combat misinformation and foster media literacy in the digital era.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has strongly emphasized the indispensable role of human ethics and accountability in navigating the complexities of communication in the age of artificial intelligence. Speaking at the Kuala Lumpur International PR Conference (KLIP 7), Fahmi announced that Malaysia is preparing to launch new Guidelines for Responsible AI Communication. These guidelines are designed to provide a crucial framework for professionals across media, public relations, and digital content creation, ensuring that communication practices remain ethical, transparent, and trustworthy as AI increasingly shapes public discourse.
Fahmi, who addressed the conference virtually from Geneva while leading the Malaysian delegation to the World Summit on the Information Society+20 High-Level Event (WSIS+20), articulated a clear vision: ‘We live in an age where communication is borderless and increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence … even as machines evolve, one thing must never change – human ethics and judgment must lead.’ He stressed that technology must serve humanity, rather than replace it, urging communication professionals to lead with purpose, guided by inclusive and transparent principles. The Minister also highlighted Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, noting that it demands leadership anchored not just in authority, but also in vision, empathy, and ethics. He commended KLIP 7’s theme, ‘Impactful AI, Social Media Communication and Online Education,’ as highly relevant to the transformative role of technology in information consumption and communication. Furthermore, Fahmi drew attention to the Venice Pledge, endorsed by the Global Alliance for Public Relations, as an emerging global benchmark for ethical, human-led AI communication, proudly mentioning that the President of the Institute of Public Relations Malaysia (IPRM), Jaffri Amin Osman, a Malaysian, was instrumental in its development.
In a separate address at the 19th Biennial International Conference on Media and Communications (MENTION2025), the Minister, through a speech read by Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, further detailed the government’s proactive stance. The Ministry of Communications is currently drafting several new legal frameworks and policies, which notably include a dedicated framework for artificial intelligence in the media sector. This initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen media literacy and combat the pervasive issue of misinformation and disinformation, which Fahmi identified as a significant challenge that pollutes the information landscape and threatens social harmony and national security.
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Highlighting the urgency of these measures, Fahmi cited the Ipsos Digital 2025 report, which indicates that Malaysians spend an average of eight hours daily online, positioning them among the most active internet users in the region. This digital freedom, he cautioned, comes with immense responsibility. The Ministry of Communications received more than 15,000 complaints related to harmful content, fake news, and cybercrime in the past year alone. This data, he concluded, unequivocally demonstrates that media literacy and responsible communication are no longer optional, but rather fundamental necessities for the survival and well-being of our digital society.
