KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to become a defining force for economic competitiveness and geopolitical resilience, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Speaking at the fireside chat titled “The Intelligence Grid: Building Bridges Through Sovereign AI Collaboration,” he emphasised that success in the future may well hinge on how effectively nations and businesses harness AI.
Joined by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and G42 CEO Peng Xiao, Tengku Zafrul moderated the session which explored a cooperative model of sovereign AI development.
He stressed that while AI holds vast transformative potential, it also poses complex risks—including polarisation and conflict—which require global dialogue and inclusive collaboration, especially among middle powers like ASEAN and the Gulf nations.
