GEORGE TOWN, June 9 – Penang has unveiled the Penang GBS Industry Academy (PGIA) 2.0: #GenAI Talent Ready, a strategic initiative aimed at equipping 500 GenAI-skilled talents by 2026 to meet rising industry demands and drive digital transformation.
Spearheaded by InvestPenang and supported by MDEC, PSDC, and the Penang GBS Focus Group (GFG), the program targets professionals, fresh graduates, and new hires with structured AI upskilling modules aligned with national frameworks including NIMP 2030 and MyDIGITAL.
Launched by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow at the Penang Career Discovery Day 2025, PGIA 2.0 builds on the success of PGIA 1.0, which trained over 1,100 participants across 40 courses. With Penang securing RM14.7 billion in approved services sector investments in 2024 and hosting over 200
Malaysia Digital Status companies, the initiative reinforces the state’s position as a key digital hub. Phase 1 of PGIA 2.0 begins in July 2025 with 100 talent, followed by Phase 2 in 2026 to train an additional 400, further solidifying Penang’s leadership in AI workforce readiness.
