Ericsson says Malaysia’s AI use projected to outpace global average

Malaysia's adoption of multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to surpass the global average, according to a new study by Ericsson ConsumerLab. The research, which polled over 43,000 smartphone users aged 15 to 69 across 27 markets, predicts that AI usage in Malaysia will reach 43% by 2030, compared to a projected 30% globally.

Multimodal AI refers to systems that integrate text, voice, images, and video, technologies that are anticipated to become more deeply ingrained in consumers' daily lives. Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh head David Hagerbro noted that Malaysians are increasingly leveraging AI in various facets of their daily routines and anticipate the technology to operate reliably in any setting.

Hagerbro further stated that Malaysia is ideally positioned to capitalize on this paradigm shift, thanks to the robust foundation established by Digital Nasional Bhd's (DNB) 5G network. Built with Ericsson technology, the 5G network provides advanced capabilities and AI-based operations, supporting the dependable connectivity necessary for forthcoming AI applications.

The 5G network empowers mobile operators to deliver connectivity customized to various services, ensuring consistent performance and prompt response times as AI usage intensifies, Hagerbro explained. This, in turn, could present opportunities for Malaysian developers and businesses to craft services that enhance AI's utility in everyday life and bolster the nation's digitalization objectives.

Globally, daily multimodal AI usage is forecasted to surge from its current 10% to 30% by 2030. The heightened use of images, video, and voice is expected to generate increased upload traffic and sporadic spikes in demand, especially in urban regions. The research identified a cohort of AI super users who currently comprise 35% of AI usage and are projected to constitute over 80% by 2030.

Their behavior suggests that AI interactions will become more frequent and disseminated across multiple devices, amplifying reliance on mobile connectivity. The report also highlighted the anticipated proliferation of agentic AI, which can execute tasks such as scheduling appointments and managing calendars on behalf of users. Across the surveyed markets, 38% of smartphone users anticipate utilizing agentic AI by 2030, a marked increase from the current 4%.

As these services can operate discreetly, the report noted that they would augment the need for dependable network performance and secure connections. Trust will also play a crucial role in the adoption of AI, with over half of daily AI users expressing significant apprehensions regarding fraudulent or compromised AI assistants.