- Malaysia is making a major bet on artificial intelligence (AI) to become a regional leader, with its National AI Roadmap (2021–2025) and the upcoming AI Action Plan (2026–2030). The government is rolling out tax incentives, R&D funds, and investment promotion packages to expand AI applications in healthcare, real estate, and education.
- From 2027, primary schools in Malaysia will begin teaching foundational AI knowledge to build a workforce adapted to new technologies.
- A significant driver is demographic change: by 2030, over 15% of Malaysia’s population will be over 60, and healthcare costs are expected to nearly triple to RM12 billion (approx. $2.5 billion USD). This is fueling demand for AI-powered eldercare, digital health, and rehabilitation robots.
i-Bhd – The Flagship of Malaysia’s AI Cities:
- Pioneering developer i-Bhd – the developer of i-City, Malaysia’s first smart city – has announced a complete restructuring of its operations around AI and robotics.
- Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong, Chairman of i-Bhd, stated: “Every ringgit of i-City’s remaining RM5 billion in GDV will be linked to AI and robotics.”
- In December 2025, i-Bhd will launch the AI World Experience Centre in partnership with Agibot (China) – the world’s largest humanoid robot manufacturer. The center will showcase 70 robots and serve as both a national AI application lab and a high-tech tourist destination.
- The next phase includes the AI Tower and AI Central Park – an ‘AI living’ urban area with smart homes, automated healthcare systems, rehabilitation robots, and AI personal assistants.
- Lim said: “AI Tower is not just a building, but a place where AI breathes life into every living experience – from healthcare and lifestyle guidance to lifelong learning.”
i-Bhd’s New Business Strategy:
- i-Bhd is shifting from a traditional real estate model to an “AI + property” model, combining stable revenue from real estate with high-margin profits from AI and robotics services.
- It is introducing a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model within its RM1 billion property portfolio, offering subscription-based service robots to residents and businesses (for cleaning, reception, medical, and care).
- An analyst commented: “RaaS helps i-Bhd generate recurring cash flow, reducing dependency on the real estate cycle – making them Malaysia’s first AI urban operator.”
Growth Opportunities:
- Malaysia expects to attract $40 billion USD in AI and data center investments by 2030, while the global medical robotics market grows at 16.5% per year.
- Experts believe i-Bhd is positioned at the intersection of two major trends: population aging and the AI boom, promising double or triple profit growth in the next cycle.
📌 Summary: Malaysia is making a major bet on AI to become a regional leader, with its AI Action Plan (2026–2030) soon to be announced. From 2027, primary schools in Malaysia will begin teaching foundational AI knowledge. With AI World, AI Tower, and Robotics-as-a-Service, property company i-Bhd is not just redefining the smart city but also reshaping Malaysia’s growth model—transforming from a “property developer” into “the nation’s first AI urban ecosystem operator.”
