{
  "id": 4612698,
  "title": "AI could become Malaysia’s next productivity engine — from SMEs to public services",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/ai-could-become-malaysias-next-productivity-engine-from-smes-to",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-31T09:22:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Vibes",
    "slug": "the-vibes",
    "url": "https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/126787/ai-could-become-malaysias-next-productivity-engine-from-smes-to-public-services"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Artificial Intelligence (AI) could become a key driver of productivity in Malaysia, benefiting a wide range of businesses and public services. According to 27 Group Founder Girish Mavath Ramachandran, AI can help companies reduce costs, enable workers to focus on higher-value tasks, and improve the efficiency of government agencies. SMEs stand to gain the most from widespread AI adoption, as affordable tools can help them perform tasks that previously required additional employees, specialized software or expensive consultants. For example, retailers can analyze customer behavior and forecast demand, manufacturers can identify production bottlenecks and predict equipment failures, restaurants can optimize purchasing and reduce food waste, and logistics operators can improve delivery routes. If thousands of SMEs become more efficient and competitive, Malaysia could see substantial economic benefits, including stronger food and energy security, higher-value employment opportunities, and the ability to expand into domestic and international markets. AI could also help Malaysia tackle its demographic challenges, such as an ageing population and shrinking labour supply, by enabling businesses to generate more economic value from existing resources, such as labour, land, and capital. In agriculture, AI can analyze satellite imagery, drone data, weather information, soil conditions, and historical production records to optimize crop management, reduce waste, and enhance food security. In healthcare, AI can assist with appointment scheduling, medical documentation, administrative processing, patient monitoring, and health risk analysis, ultimately leading to a healthier population with more efficient healthcare resources. Within public services, AI can help process routine applications, identify bottlenecks, analyze demand, detect anomalies, and free government employees from administrative tasks, resulting in faster and more efficient services for Malaysians. Additionally, AI can contribute to Malaysia's energy resilience by forecasting electricity demand, optimizing supply, identifying equipment problems, and improving the integration of renewable energy into the grid.",
  "summary": "ARTIFICIAL Intelligence (AI) could become a powerful new engine of productivity for Malaysia, helping businesses reduce costs, enabling workers to focus on higher-value tasks and allowing the Government to deliver public services more efficiently. Th...",
  "key_points": [
    "AI could boost Malaysia's productivity across SMEs and public services",
    "Affordable AI tools help SMEs perform tasks previously requiring more employees or consultants",
    "AI addresses Malaysia's demographic challenges and enhances energy resilience"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}