Excited or Anxious? Where Malaysia Stands on AI in 2025

KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is one of the most AI-excited countries in the world, but also among the most nervous.

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According to the Ipsos AI Monitor 2025, 77 percent of Malaysians say AI makes them excited, with enthusiasm being shown for its deployment in products and services. This excitement over AI usage places Malaysians third in the rankings of Ipsos’s survey of 30 countries involving 23,216 adult respondents.

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At the same time, 55 percent of Malaysians say AI makes them nervous, slightly higher than the global average (53 percent).

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This emotional split reflects what Ipsos calls the “Wonder and Worry of AI” - a paradox where optimism and anxiety coexist in public sentiment.

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“For years, in the Ipsos Global AI monitor, we have seen a similar tension related to this specific set of technologies: People are excited about the advances in Artificial Intelligence, but they are also nervous about the changes those advances could bring,” said Matt Carmichael, a senior vice-president at Ipsos.

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This duality is echoed in other reports. Microsoft and LinkedIn’s 2024 Work Trend Index Report reveals that 84 percent of Malaysian knowledge workers are already using AI at work, surpassing the global average of 75 percent. Despite this high adoption rate, the report highlights that 83 percent Malaysian employees are bringing their own AI tools to work, indicating a proactive approach by the workforce in the absence of a coherent AI strategy from their organisations.

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Malaysia’s case of “wonder and worry” may stem from strong national ambitions for AI, coupled with a growing public awareness of its risks.

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The Malaysian government has openly embraced AI as part of the country’s national development. The National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap 2021-2025, launched in 2022, outlines strategic goals for integrating AI across sectors like agriculture and forestry, healthcare, smart cities and transportation, education and public service.

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More recently, the AI Talent Roadmap 2024-2033 - launched by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education - aims to ensure Malaysia develops a steady pipeline of high-quality AI graduates over the next decade.

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In September 2024, MOSTI also released the National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics to support the responsible and ethical development and use of AI. Later that year, the government officially established the National Artificial Intelligence Office, tasked with helping Malaysia transition from an AI consumer to an AI producer.

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With the government actively pushing for AI adoption and public engagement, it's no surprise that Malaysians view AI positively. 

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The Ipsos report suggests that trust in institutions may be reinforcing this confidence: 73 percent of Malaysians say they trust the government to regulate AI responsibly - well above levels in countries like Australia (46 percent) and the United States (31 percent).

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As AI becomes more integrated into their lives, Malaysians appear to be hopeful, but are watching closely.

-- BERNAMA

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