Malaysian firms could be transformed by AI: Lenovo exec

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Malaysia is poised to reap benefits from generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the coming years, but the largest gains are expected in the local manufacturing sector.

According to Lenovo (NASDAQ: LNVGY) Malaysia General Manager Varinderjit Singh, the Southeast Asian country is primed to enjoy the opportunities offered by AI. In an interview with The Sun, Singh cited potential use cases for the technology in manufacturing, including applications in predictive maintenance and automation.

Early adopters of the technology have recorded wins in mass customization of items, inventory management, and logistics optimization, with Singh hinting at new applications in the future. Per the Lenovo executive, the new utilities of generative AI will positively improve overall sector efficiency and productivity.

Singh’s projections for Malaysia’s manufacturing sector are not far-fetched with the executive hinging his analysis on a raft of government-backed initiatives to promote AI adoption.

In June, the country unveiled a national initiative to explore the possibility of integrating AI into various sectors of the economy. Dubbed the Malaysia AI Nexus 2024, the program highlighted the manufacturing and financial sectors as potential areas of integration for emerging technology.

“The country’s industrial base, combined with initiatives to embrace industry 4.0, creates a ground for the country to be an AI hub in smart manufacturing,” Singh said.

Lenovo, on its part, is promoting the integration of AI in Malaysia, exploring the technology in manufacturing its latest PCs. Singh disclosed that the Chinese-based PC manufacturer is exploring high-profile AI partnerships to improve its global market share amid dwindling revenues.

“Lenovo is leveraging AI to boost productivity and quality in manufacturing,” said Singh. “We are also involved in partnerships to bring comprehensive solutions, integrating hardware and software with local and global partners.”

Apart from its PCs, Lenovo is increasing the size of its bets on AI-based robotics, with Singh confirming the rollout of a six-legged robot dog before the end of the year. The company has unfurled its initiatives to encourage SMEs to embrace AI tools, pledging to provide turnkey solutions to clients.

The intersection of emerging technologies

Malaysia is at the intersection of next-gen technologies, rapidly embracing blockchain technology and AI. Previous partnerships have seen the country team up with China to explore cross-border applications of blockchain and AI, attracting heavy investments from Microsoft and other international players.

The deal with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will include a capital injection of $2.2 billion earmarked for the construction of new data centers and upskilling residents with new digital skills. There are ambitious plans to construct an AI Center of Excellence to complement the creation of 2,000 subject matter experts.

In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek’s coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI.

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