Over 30% of jobs in MY will be affected by AI over next decade, says minister

Government analysis has reportedly shown that more than 30% of Malaysian jobs will be impacted by artificial intelligence (AI) in the next decade. According to The Star, sectors such as manufacturing, services and information technology are expected to go through significant changes due to AI, said Chang Lih Kang, science, technology and innovation minister at the launch of the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) professional development certification.

He reportedly added that more than 600,000 workers would be required to undergo reskilling training within the next three to five years to maintain relevancy in the competitive job sphere. Chang reportedly noted that Malaysia is estimated to require an additional 500,000 skilled workers by 2030 to meet the demands of the technology and technical sectors, highlight the pressing need for an effective training system. 

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To remain competitive in the global field and meet industry demands, Chang said Malaysia's workforce needs to be prepared to tackle the changes due to the importance of reskilling and upskilling. 

To assist Malaysians and strengthen the country's competitiveness on a global scale, Chang reportedly said that the Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry, through MBOT, has been tasked with designing initiatives to bridge the skills gap for workers and upgrade capabilities locally. With regards to this, MBOT established the Technology and Technical Professional Development Council (TPDC) to design a framework and certification for short-term courses in technology and technical fields. 

Chang reportedly added that the TPDC was also formed to assess the quality of factors, including instructors, course content, approach and evaluation methods. 

The TPDC framework is aimed at providing training to Malaysian workers to ensure that the skills acquired during the courses meet the professional standards and evolving needs of the industries. 

Emerita Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir, MBOT president reportedly said that MBOT was established to achieve the goals outlined in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2021-2030, adding that one of the key policies emphasises the effort to enhance efficiency and professionalism in technology and innovation sectors.

A+M has reached out to MBOT for more information. 

Malaysia isn't the only country planning to upskill its workers in the AI sphere. In December last year, DBS, in partnership with Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), launched a strategic public-private partnership which aimed to drive wider generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) awareness and adoption of GenAI solutions among Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

GenAI uses artificial intelligence to generate text, images and other media. It can help businesses unlock cost savings, boost productivity and drive innovation, positioning themselves competitively in a rapidly growing digital economy. However, only about 4.2% of SMEs in Singapore have adopted some form of AI technology today.

To address this gap, Spark GenAI was developed to help SMEs understand how GenAI solutions can help to solve business challenges. DBS aims to reach out to 50,000 local SMEs over the next two years, equipping them with actionable insights and hands-on guidance to integrate GenAI into their operations and drive tangible outcomes.

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