KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian workers with skills and expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), information technology (IT) and research and development (R&D) could have considerable growth in salary.
Those in AI can enjoy salary increases of over 40 per cent, with those in the field of IT having the opportunity for a 53 per cent increase, while R&D workers may see a 49 per cent increase.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com, said in a release that besides significant salary increases, 97 per cent of Malaysian workers expect AI skills to have a positive impact on their careers, including higher job efficiency, job satisfaction, and faster career advancement.
According to a regional study titled 'Accelerating AI Skills: Preparing Asia-Pacific Workforce for Future Jobs' commissioned by AWS, over 1,600 workers and 500 employers were surveyed in the country.
The study found that workers demonstrate a strong willingness to develop AI skills to advance their careers, with 91 per cent showing deep interest.
AWS said it has trained over 100,000 people in Malaysia on cloud skills since 2017.
"With the rapid adoption of technology empowered like AI, more needs to be done to scale up workforce skills so that organisations can innovate and thrive in an AI dominated future," it said.
AWS Asean Training and Certification head Emmanuel Pillai said Generative AI offers unprecedented opportunities to transform businesses in Malaysia.
"This research shows that AI skills are critical for the future workforce. From financial services to construction and retail, industries are quickly embracing AI, making AI-skilled workforce essential to foster a culture of innovation and drive productivity," he said.
Emmanuel said AWS is assisting organisations in Malaysia ranging from digital stock agency 123RF to drone services company Aerodyne, the Sarawak Centre of Technical Excellence (CENTEXS) and the Technology and Innovation, Asia Pacific University (APU).
"It's about enhancing the skills of workers and students to be prepared for a future empowered by generative AI," he said.