KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has asked the National Cyber Security Agency (Nasca) to be prepared for the potential risks associated with a new AI model.
“In recent weeks, the world has crossed a threshold that we ignore only at our peril. One of the leading developers of AI has produced a model so advanced, and so potentially dangerous, that it has been released only to a small circle of trusted partners,” he said in his keynote address at the launch of the Huawei AI Lab and Innovation Centre in KL today (April 27).
Anwar said the model has demonstrated an ability to identify critical vulnerabilities across widely-used software systems; such that governments, regulators and security agencies are now examining what this means for the “resilience of the infrastructure” that societies rely on.
“So Megat and Nacsa, make sure you are able to fathom this because this, if ignored, can be a potential risk to the society at large,” he said.
Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin is the chief executive of Nacsa.
Despite his concerns and warning, Anwar insisted that he is “not a Luddite” or anti-technology.
“On the contrary, I am all for the advancement of technology and have been pushing hard for Malaysia to be on the leading edge in this part of the world.
“But we are left to confront an uncomfortable truth. What is that? A technology capable of exposing systemic weakness cannot be left entirely to those who create it. The window for building sound governance is narrowing and we cannot wait for a disruption to prove the cost of inaction,” he added.
Anwar officiated the launch of Huawei’s AI Lab and Innovation Centre at The Exchange 106 in Kuala Lumpur.
The 13,638sqft facility will demonstrate Huawei’s latest solutions and use cases for digital and energy transformation.
Huawei vice president for global Wind Li said it’s the company’s first AI-enabled industry incubation base in Malaysia.
“The centre will be an important platform to support the next wave of innovation in Malaysia, where we can combine technology and global experience to work effectively with our customers and partners on industry solutions and localised AI solutions for Malaysian industries,” Li said.
He added that Huawei will also be releasing its latest wearable Watch Fit 5 Pro in Malaysia next month as part of a diabetes risk study with a local university.
