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

Ericsson's latest research predicts that Malaysia's adoption of multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) will surpass the global average by 2030. The company analyzed responses from over 43,000 smartphone users aged 15 to 69 across 27 markets, including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Analyst David Hagerbro, from Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, noted that Malaysians are increasingly incorporating AI into their daily lives and expect it to function reliably regardless of their location.

With a robust foundation in place, thanks to Digital Nasional Bhd's (DNB) 5G network, Ericsson believes Malaysia is well-positioned to adapt to this evolving technological landscape. The 5G network, equipped with advanced capabilities and AI-based operations, offers consistent performance and predictable response times required by growing AI applications.

This infrastructure allows mobile operators to tailor connectivity to various services, ensuring more reliable and efficient AI integration. As a result, Malaysian developers and businesses are poised to capitalize on opportunities to create AI-driven services that enhance everyday life and further the country's digitalization goals.

Globally, daily use of multimodal AI is expected to increase from the current 10% to 30% by 2030. The growing integration of images, video, and voice into AI systems is anticipated to boost upload traffic and generate short bursts of demand, particularly in urban areas. The study identified a segment of AI "super users" comprising 35% of current AI users, with this group projected to dominate 80% of AI usage by 2030.

These super users exhibit a higher frequency of AI interactions across multiple devices, leading to increased reliance on mobile connectivity. Moreover, the research highlighted the anticipated rise of "agentic AI," which can autonomously perform tasks like booking services and managing schedules for users. Across surveyed markets, 38% of smartphone users expect to utilize agentic AI by 2030, a significant increase from the current 4%.

With such services operating in the background, the report emphasized the importance of predictable network performance and secure connections to drive widespread adoption. Trust will also play a crucial role, with more than half of daily AI users expressing significant concerns about the reliability and authenticity of AI assistants.