29/03/2026

ON SUNDAY March 29, 2026 theSunday Special III

The retiree who uses AI to stay connected For Razali Mahmood, 66, a retired teacher, AI has become a window to the world. “I use Google Assistant and ChatGPT every day,” he said, grinning. “One helps me remember things, the other helps me learn new ones.” But what he values most is how AI helps him stay socially active. “My grandchildren live in Penang, so I XVH $, YLGHR ¿OWHUV DQG YRLFH WRROV WR PDNH our calls more fun,” he shared. “ 6RPHWLPHV WKH\ WHDFK PH QHZ WULFNV ± LW NHHSV PH \RXQJ DW KHDUW ´ According to the Malaysian Commu nications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), 80% of senior citizens who use digital tools report feeling “more independent” in their daily lives. Razali believes AI is part of that empowerment. “ ,W¶V QRW DERXW NHHSLQJ XS ZLWK WKH young. It’s about staying curious,” Razali smiled.

If AI can give one village student a better chance at employment, that’s success to me.”

Ravi

The NGO worker who uses AI for community impact R DYL &KDQGUDVHJDUDQ ZRUNV IRU D QRQ SUR¿W WKDW KHOSV UXUDO \RXWK JDLQ digital literacy. For him, AI isn’t about luxury – it’s about inclusion. “ 0DQ\ SHRSOH WKLQN $, LV RQO\ IRU ELJ corporations. But it can do wonders for communities if used right,” Ravi pointed out. He uses AI translation tools to cre ate multilingual learning materials in Bahasa Malaysia, Tamil and indigenous languages. “We recently used ChatGPT to trans late training content for Orang Asli VWXGHQWV ± LW FXW RXU ZRUNORDG E\ KDOI ´ he explained. Ravi also teaches young people how to use AI for job preparation, from writing UHVXPHV WR LPSURYLQJ LQWHUYLHZ VNLOOV “Many of them don’t realise AI tools OLNH /LQNHG,Q /HDUQLQJ RU *UDPPDUO\ FDQ give them a competitive edge,” he added. According to Malaysia’s National Arti- ¿FLDO ,QWHOOLJHQFH 5RDGPDS ± $, DGRSWLRQ FRXOG FRQWULEXWH XS WR 50 billion to the national economy by 2030. But for Ravi, the human impact is even PRUH VLJQL¿FDQW “If AI can give one village student a better chance at employment, that’s success to me.” AI and the Malaysian way of life T KHVH VL[ VWRULHV UHÀHFW D JURZLQJ J J

WLPH LQ WKH NLWFKHQ RU HPSRZHULQJ D UHWLUHH WR OHDUQ QHZ VNLOOV $, LV SURYLQJ that it can be personal, practical and powerful – all at once. Experts say Malaysia is well-positioned to lead this shift. According to the Depart ment of Statistics Malaysia, internet penetration now stands at 97.4%, while smartphone ownership exceeds 96% – creating fertile ground for AI-driven tools WR ÀRXULVK But there are still challenges, from digital literacy gaps to data privacy con FHUQV 7KH JRYHUQPHQW¶V 0\',*,7$/ initiative and National AI Centre aim to bridge those divides, ensuring that Malaysians across urban and rural areas FDQ EHQH¿W HTXDOO\ “AI doesn’t have to be intimidating. It can be as simple as an app that helps you breathe easier or create better,” Aina said. A future shaped by curiosity What ties these six Malaysians together isn’t their profession, age or location – it’s their curiosity. F DUDK XVHV $, WR FRRN VPDUWHU :RQJ learns faster. Aina designs better. Razali stays connected. Amira grows her busi ness. Ravi empowers others. Each of them demonstrates a Malay sian truth: Innovation thrives when it meets everyday life. As AI continues to evolve from predic tive healthcare to climate monitoring, its success will depend not just on technology, but on people. And

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S KH XVHV $, SRZHUHG PDUNHWLQJ WRROV to manage customer messages, schedule posts and even design product descrip tions. “I used to spend three hours writing captions. Now AI helps me generate them LQ PLQXWHV ± , MXVW WZHDN WKHP WR VRXQG PRUH OLNH PH ´ VKH UHYHDOHG Her favourite tool? Meta’s AI Ads Manager, which analyses her customer data and suggests which designs might sell better. “ ,W¶V OLNH KDYLQJ D PDUNHWLQJ FRQVXOWDQW , FDQ D̆ RUG ´ VKH MRNHG Amira’s business grew by 40% over the past year and she credits AI for that boost. “It’s not magic. It’s strategy and AI just PDNHV LW PRUH DFFHVVLEOH ´ VKH VDLG She’s now exploring voice AI tools to offer customer service in Kelantanese Malay. “ $, PDNHV VPDOO EXVLQHVV RZQHUV OLNH PH IHHO SRZHUIXO ,W¶V OLNH KDYLQJ D ZKROH WHDP LQ \RXU SRFNHW ´

AI makes small business owners like me feel powerful.”

Amira

The small business owner who runs a mini empire from her phone Nur Amira Zain, 28, runs an online hijab ERXWLTXH ± ZLWK QR SK\VLFDO VWRUH QR employees and no computer. “Everything happens on my phone,” she said proudly.

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if these six Malaysians are any indication, the future ORRNV ERWK VPDUW DQG deeply human. “AI isn’t the future anymore. It’s already here and it’s learning from us, just as much as we’re learning from LW ´ :RQJ UHÀHFWHG L

AI is a tool, not a threat. We just need to learn how to use it responsibly.”

Aina

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